A Beautiful Mistake
by Maerynn
Summary: Pissed off at Alya one very early morning, Marinette misdial her best friend's number and ends up telling off an unsuspecting and anonymous Adrien. The pair grows closer through texting as they also reunite years after graduating through work. Marinette has to face her painful past in order to move forward with her heart, but luckily Adrien might be the one able to help her heal.
1. Chapter 1: Misdialed

Marinette tapped her foot impatiently on the sidewalk. She checked for any new messages on her phone for what felt like the hundredth time over the course of the last ten minutes. She couldn't believe Alya dared to stand her up like this. It was the crack of dawn, and her so-called best friend still had the nerve to be over fifteen minutes late for the early morning jog she had personally planned and insisted on. Of course, Marinette had tried to argue, had tried to bargain for a yoga class instead, but Alya had proven to be one tough cookie. The young reporter had read in some magazine that jogging was good both for the body and the mind, so jogging it was.

Except that a certain redhead had apparently ignored her own advice to go to bed early and was still glaringly absent.

A shiver ran through Marinette's spine and she cursed her best friend yet again for leaving her at the mercy of the early morning cold. She had chosen her outfit with working out in mind, not standing on the sidewalks with only the sound of her own breathing to keep her company.

Fed up by the blatant lack of communication, she pulled up her messaging client with a frustrated huff. Her fingers quickly punched in the numbers she was so familiar with.

 _[Me]: Where the hell are you? I swear if you made me wake up at this ungodly hour only to let me and my ass freeze to death alone in the street, you are so dead to me! ಠ_ಠ_

Marinette rubbed her hands together, trying in vain to get a little heat from the friction as she was beginning to really suffer from the cold. She would wait five more minutes, she decided, then she would go back to her beloved bed if Alya still failed to show up. Her phone finally chimed, and she pulled it out hastily, wondering what lame excuse her bestie would have concocted this time.

 _[Unknown number]: Sorry, but I'm pretty sure I was not supposed to be on the other end of that message. But I completely should agree though that no ass should be freezing to death in the street at this ungodly hour. =^.^=_

Confused, Marinette double-checked the number she had dialed before sighing deeply. Sure enough, thanks to her infamous clumsiness, she had hit a two instead of a three, and sent her rant to a totally innocent stranger. At five in the morning, no less.

Groaning, she quickly typed out a reply.

 _[Me]: I'm so sorry! Misdialed my best friend's number, I should really learn to add contacts instead of memorizing numbers. I'm really sorry for bugging you! I hope I didn't wake you up!_

She looked up and down the street, increasingly annoyed at Alya's tardiness. Where in the world could that girl be?

Her phone chimed again in her freezing palm, and she chuckled as she read the answer from her unknown and unwilling penpal.

 _[Unknown number]: No harm done, this cool cat is secretly an early bird. Been up for about half an hour already, sipping on my second cup of coffee as we speak. =^.^=_

She smiled softly, her fingers quickly hitting the keyboard on her phone,

 _[Me]: Lucky you. I'm the kind of girl that usually wakes up around 9 or 10 if there's no alarm clock involved. Noon on the weekends._

 _[Unknown number]: What are you doing outside and alone so early then? =^.^=_

She shrugged, still searching for Alya's familiar face down the street. In vain.

 _[Me]: My best friend decided we should start jogging for our well-being. Told me to meet up at 5:00 sharp. And it's… 5:18 now. Still no bestie in sight._

 _[Unknown number]: HOW DARE SHE STAND YOU UP? (thought I'd show some support, does that help?) =^.^=_

Marinette chuckled, before quickly typing a response, her fingers flying over the virtual keyboard as fast as their frozen state allowed them to,

 _[Me]: I know right? I should get back to bed and stop worrying about her. She probably blew me off for more cuddles with her boyfriend, either that or she forgot me AGAIN._

 _[Unknown number]: Would a picture brighten your day? =^.^=_

Sure enough, here it was. Just her luck. Marinette sighed in resignation. She was starting to like that odd man on the other end of their conversation, he was a welcome distraction. Of course, it had to go wrong somehow. Of all the guys who her misfired SMS could have gone to, it had to be one of those weirdos jumping on the occasion to shamelessly send her a picture of his junk.

 _[Me]: I'm not in the mood for dick pics right now._

Just as she hit send, her phone chimed in her palm. But the picture he sent made her genuinely burst into laughter. Displayed in all its glory on the little digital screen was a rather grumpy-looking, black cat that almost looked like it was frowning.

 _[Unknown number]: What kind of pathetic loser send pictures of his junk to lift a lady's spirits? Here's Plagg. A real ray of sunshine. =^.^=_

 _[Me]: I can tell by his radiant smile. Who in their right mind calls their cat Plagg, by the way? And why? Does it mean something? (What's with the cat emojis?)_

Marinette glanced up from her phone for a second, looking around herself quickly. Still no sign of Alya. Gosh, she was going to rip her head off if she ever showed up.

 _[Unknown number]: …I do?_

 _[Unknown number]: And I don't know if it means anything, but 15 year-old me thought it was cool. But he's stuck with that name now, and I'm stuck with this grumpy old cat._

 _[Unknown number]: (cat emojis are cool. I think they're_ paw _sitively_ claw _some!) =^.^=_

Marinette giggled at that lame pun, grinning openly at her phone.

 _[Me]: Pffft. Grumpy? As if! You're obviously head over heels for that feline. (OMG Are you a DAD? Cause I'm pretty sure this is strictly classified as dad's humor.)_

Her phone chimed almost immediately.

 _[Unknown number]: You got me there. I love the hairball. Would you take pity on me if I tell you he likes to bite my toes at night? (Am I a dad? Afraid not. Guess it just comes naturally! =^.^=)_

 _[Me]: Poor things. Plagg and you both._

 _[Unknown number]: I think we'll manage to survive. Still no sign of your friend?_

She scanned the street another time, to no avail.

 _[Me]: Nah. Think she definitely bailed on me._

 _[Unknown number]: LET HER FEEL YOUR WRATH! (Is it wrong of me to hope she doesn't show up anytime soon? My mornings with Plagg are never half as interesting as this.) =^.^=_

Marinette smiled at the screen, growing fond quickly of this stranger's idle chat.

 _[Me]: How's so? Got no one to keep you warm at night, kitty? =^.^=_

 _[Unknown number]: TOLD YOU CAT EMOJIS ARE THE BEST. And no. It's just me and Plagg. =^.^=_

She wondered for a minute, her fingers hovering over the digital keyboard, what the mysterious man looked like. Was he still in his pajamas, reading the newspaper while sipping on that second cup of coffee? Or was he in a suit, texting her from some company car on his way to manage some prestigious office? She liked how easy it was to talk to him, how naturally they fell into playful banter. Somehow, she felt close to him, despite two digital screens standing between them.

Marinette almost asked him for his name, but the prospect of having to give him hers in return made her backtrack instantly. She instead settled on teasing; it was easier. Safer.

 _[Me]: I'm pretty sure you Plagg and you make up the greatest power couple in Paris._

 _[Unknown number]: HUSH! We don't want any paparazzi here! Plagg couldn't handle the fuss =^.^=_

Giggling uncontrollably, she quickly typed back despite her fingers growing stiff from the cold.

 _[Me]: Don't worry, I won't tell a soul about your dirty little secret._

 _[Unknown number]: That's a relief princess. =^.^=_

She began typing an answer, stating that for all he knew his 'princess' could perfectly be a hideous monster with rotten teeth and a crooked nose, but only got through half of her retort before a very familiar voice startled her, _"_ Sorry, Marinette! Nino turned off my phone because the alarm was disturbing his beauty sleep so I only woke up like ten minutes ago!"

Marinette regretfully glanced up from her screen to see Alya hurrying towards her in her running gear. She sighed, rolling her eyes at her best friend. "I've been freezing my ass for half an hour here, I hope he's prettier than ever or else…"

Alya chuckled, grabbing her by the elbow. "We both know you love him no matter what. Who were you texting at this hour? It's pretty early in the morning and I know for a fact it wasn't me."

Marinette blushed slightly, knowing fully that she was walking into a merciless teasing. "Well… I may or may not have texted a perfect stranger telling him he was dead to me for making me wake up this early only to leave me and my ass freezing and alone in the streets. So I was apologizing for my unnecessary rudeness."

Right on cue, her phone chimed again in her palm.

 _[Unknown number]: Sadly, I have to head to work now. It's been a delight chatting with you, princess. =^.^=_

 _[Me]: Have a nice day, Monsieur Chat._

 _[Unknown number]: Have a nice day yourself, m'lady._

On a hunch, she clicked on Save contact as at the top of her screen and quickly typed Chat Noir as the contact info. After all, that was the useful only information she had learned about him: he owned a black cat. But she had enjoyed their little chat too, and somewhere deep inside, she hoped to talk to him again.

Alya nudged her with her shoulder, teasingly. "What's with that dreamy look? Did you finally found someone to make that lonely heart of yours beat a little bit faster?"

The friendly jab felt like a punch to the gut to Marinette, but she quickly stifled the pain brewing up inside her. No. She refused to walk down that path ever again, to let those memories drag her down again. Shooting a pointed look to her friend, she sighed, "No. I've spent the last few years working my fingers to the bone just to get my diploma, and I still haven't heard back of any internships I applied for. How would I even meet someone, let alone find time for a relationship? Forget it, Alya, it's not going to happen."

Alya's expression softened as she linked her arm with Marinette's. "Are you really okay though, Mari? You just said it yourself. You dedicated the last few years to building your career. Isn't it time to think about yourself? Take a breather, have some fun?"

"I'm okay, Al," Marinette sighed as she stretched her legs. "You don't have to worry about me, everything is under control."

"If you say so. Shouldn't we start jogging? If you want to have time to shower before school we better get going, unless you want to go in all sweaty..."

Marinette playfully nudged her friend back. "Ew. I'll pass on the sweaty look. You take the lead, I'd like to be done with this crazy jogging idea of yours before we're both eighty please."

After tucking her phone safely in her vest pocket, she took off jogging at a comfortable pace, Alya a few steps ahead of her.

As they jogged through the Paris streets, Marinette was acutely aware of the weight of her phone in her pocket. She was wondering about the stranger, how old was he, what did he like, what kind of person was he really? She was curious about him, and it felt a little weird to feel so attached to someone she had never met and had only exchanged a few texts with. All Marinette knew was that she kind of wanted that that easy conversation and playful banter with him again.

She didn't know it yet, but that morning was the beginning of a friendship she would come to cherish more than anything. A friendship that would end up meaning the world and then some to her. A friendship that would change her life forever.


	2. Chapter 2: Completely Irrational

Adrien Agreste was perfectly aware that the way he was feeling, the way he was longing almost painfully for his phone to chime, was completely irrational.

It was simply ridiculous how fast and how hard he had fallen for the faceless girl (if she was even truly a woman) on the other side of his phone's screen. It was insane. He knew next to nothing about her—for all he knew she could look like a mountain troll with fangs and beady eyes who ate little children for breakfast—and yet here he was, sitting in his depressing office feeling none-the-wiser and pining over her so hard that he couldn't focus on his daily tasks.

He reluctantly opened another heavy file, sighing deeply, trying to concentrate on the dreaded task of finding suitable candidates for a soon-available internship directly under his father. For some reason, all the portfolios he had reviewed so far were dead set on proving their ability through grandiose ideas and out of this world concepts. But more often than not in fashion, out of this world also mean completely ridiculous on a real model, and pretty impossible to sew even if it looked good on paper. At this rate, Adrien would be forced to choose the least lame of the lot instead of the best one, and he knew his father wouldn't be pleased with that.

His mind wandered despite himself as he tried to go over another new applicant's over the top and ridiculous portfolio.

It had been six months. Six long months since the first telltale buzz of his phone one very early morning had put a smile on his lips. He truly had enjoyed their little chats since that blessed morning when he had been the fortunate recipient of her angry rant aimed at her best friend. Her funny and witty replies had prompted him to laugh out loud alone in his kitchen. His first true, genuine laugh in a long time. Her impromptu company, though only virtual, cast a ray of sunshine in his otherwise boring and lonely life.

The next morning he had toyed with his phone pensively for long minutes, hesitating. What if she thought he was a creep? What if their conversation the day before had only been a happy accident? In the end, he texted her quickly, perfectly aware that odds were she wouldn't reply.

 _[Me]: Good morning princess! =^.^=_

He had hopefully stared at the blank screen for a good ten minutes, without it buzzing in his palm. Disappointed but resigned, he had put his phone back in his pocket and had went on with his day, an uncomfortable lump weighing down his stomach. After all, this was fully to be expected: no matter how much he had enjoyed their little impromptu conversation, it was nothing more than the lucky consequence of a typo on her part.

And no matter how hard he had wished otherwise, he had no place in her life whatsoever.

Then, at around nine o'clock that morning, in the middle of some photoshoot, he had felt his phone buzz in his pants. He motioned to the photographer that he needed a moment and fished out his phone with hasty fingers. Anticipation gnawing at him, he had fished it out almost immediately, unlocking his screen with a knot in his stomach.

 _[Unknown number]: Good morning to you too, Monsieur Chat. Told you I'm not an early bird, sorry if I kept you waiting._

Adrien had let out a huge sigh of relief upon reading those words, a much larger one than would have been appropriate in such circumstances. Grinning openly and earning himself a scowl from the already annoyed photographer, Adrien had quickly typed back,

 _[Me]: No jogging with your buddy this morning I take it? =^.^=_

He truly had done his best to focus on the photo shoot after that, trying his best to please Jean-Claude and finish the session as fast as he could. When he finally had regained his sweet freedom for a brief moment, he had whipped out his phone to look for her answer.

 _[Unknown number]: Nah. I outran her and it pissed her off. I think I'm in the clear for a few months at least. Until her next crazy idea._

 _[Me]: I was half expecting death-threats again this morning._

 _[Unknown number]: I truly didn't want to bother you again._

 _[Me]: To be honest, I missed you bugging me, m'lady. I was looking forward to talking to you more. =^.^=_

 _[Unknown number]: What is it we are doing right now if it isn't talking?_

At that he had laughed again in the mostly silent studio, earning himself some weird looks from the makeup artists busy cleaning their tools. He hadn't cared the slightest.

 _[Me]: You're right, as always m'lady. =^.^=_

And that had been the beginning of their odd friendship. He had written to her as soon as he had been out of the photo shoot, which had miraculously gotten cut short. The photographer had somehow been pleased enough with what he had so far. After this, Adrien had decided she was his lucky ladybug and had saved her number under that name in his contacts.

 _[Me]: Just thought I'd let you know from now on you're Ladybug as far as I'm concerned. =^.^=_

The reply had been almost instant, and he had figured she must have had a day off or something.

 _[Ladybug]: How's so? I'm not running around in red clothes with black polka dots on them, I'll have you know!_

He had snickered out loud as he had made his way to his car.

 _[Me]: Maybe not, but you were a real lucky charm to me today. Got out of a really boring meeting early, and it's the first time in the whole nine years of my career here it happened. Must be your doing. =^.^=_

 _[Ladybug]: NINE YEARS? How old exactly are you?_

Adrien had stared at his phone in disbelief. How could he explain this slip of the tongue? While it was entirely true that he had started his career at the tender age of thirteen, he wasn't too keen on letting her know just yet that he was Adrien Agreste, famous model by day and lonely man by night. Some things were better left unsaid.

 _[Me]: I'm 22, I'm not some old creep, so don't worry. Family business. =^.^=_

He had hoped dearly she wouldn't press further, reluctant to jeopardize a blossoming relationship with his unwanted celebrity, and sure enough, she had not.

 _[Ladybug]: Oh I get it. My parents own a shop, been helping now and then ever since I've been tall enough to reach the register._

He had felt his phone buzz a few times in his pocket as he had been driving back home and had checked his messages as soon as he turned off the engine.

 _[Ladybug]: I can't complain too much about being Ladybug. You're Chat Noir in my phone._

 _[Ladybug]: Thought it was fitting._

Stunned and dumbfounded, he could only reply,

 _[Me]: Chat Noir? Where does that even comes from?_

 _[Ladybug]: Well the only thing I knew about you yesterday morning was that you own an old and grumpy black cat named Plagg._

 _[Ladybug]: I guess I now know you're 22 too._

 _[Ladybug]: I can change it to Plagg22 now, or GrumpyOldCat22 if you wish._

Genuine laughter had bubbled up in his throat as he had typed back,

 _[Chat Noir]: I'll stick with Chat Noir, it's kinda cute. I changed it in my phone too. =^.^=_

 _[Ladybug]: Awesome, I'll change myself to LadyLuck in mine._

 _[Chat Noir]: Ladybug. Polka dots? =^.^=_

 _[Ladybug]: Right, sorry silly kitty. There, all set!_

Ever since that day, they had kept texting each other every single day without fail. She was his first thought in the morning. Even before getting out of bed, he was sending her some sort of silly greeting or cute meme to try and put a smile on her lips for the day. She was his last thought at night; he always made it a point to wish her good night before going to sleep.

Through the weeks at first and then the months, he had managed to learn a few things about her, bits and pieces from her he had come to cherish. Namely, she was graduating from university this very week from a still undisclosed major. Her favorite color was pink even if she had a thing for green and she absolutely loved sweets. This information coupled with the fact he learned much later on that her parent's shop was actually a bakery made complete sense.

She was turning twenty-two in July and had never owned any pets (that's what happen when you grew up in a bakery, she told him) though she'd like to get a cat or a bunny someday. Her current apartment was a bit small for her liking but still comfortable enough and she loved to cook. Therefore, her tiny kitchen was driving her completely crazy because she was a terribly messy cook and desperately lacked counter space. She labeled herself creative, clumsy, and silly, but a loyal friend nonetheless.

Despite her reluctance to share any personal information about herself and his own careful withholding of his celebrity double-life, she had become a constant presence in his life. She was someone that would worry if he texted her later than usual in the morning, someone that would appreciate his playful banter and give him a run for his money when it came to lame puns. Someone who would ask about his day and give him advice whenever he was upset or sad.

Someone that cared about him.

And he was hopelessly head over heels in love with her.

Reluctantly, he tried to cut short his daydreaming and focus on the task at hand. Adrien opened the next Manila folder. He spared himself reading the cover letter—probably found something on Internet and filled up with lies _—_ and without even a glance at it, he hastily moved on to the portfolio.

And froze almost instantly.

Here it was: what he had been searching for all day.

These designs were simple but yet never seen before. Eye-catching on the runway and wearable in everyday life, but each with a flair of its own, a unique touch. The drawings overflowed with neatly scribbled notes on possible materials, cost estimates, alternative color schemes, and details on the fabrication process. The designer had obviously tailored their entire presentation to highlight their versatility, and it worked wonders.

Their portfolio was very well balanced, including two women's outfits, two very different men business suits, children's pajamas cute enough to make him squeal, and a gorgeous ball gown that took his breath away in the details.

And a wedding dress.

That wedding dress was a masterpiece in itself.

It had a form-fitting lace bodice snugly covering the bride from hip to shoulder and underneath spilled a majestic ruffled tulle skirt. But the real genius of the design was the reveal of a completely bare back. It showed just enough skin to be daring and enticing, but not too provocative. The designer had even designed an intricate pattern of snowflakes for the sparkling beadwork on edges of the tulle skirt.

It wasn't grandiose or out of this world.

It was gorgeous, very well designed and taking into account the reality of each of the production steps. It looked nothing short of professional.

Grinning to himself, Adrien went back to the cover letter, now more than eager to know more about the awesome designer he would certainly recommend for the upcoming internship.

He froze once again upon reading the first line.

 _"To whom it may concern:_

 _"My name's Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It has come to my attention that you need an intern with a meticulous attention to detail and excellent design skills. My experience as a fashion designer and my current status as a major student from École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode make me an ideal candidate for the junior designer position at Agreste."_

The rest of her cover letter was completely lost on him. His old high school friend, one of the most creative and amazing people he had ever known outside of his father's lead designers, was behind this marvel of a design, and it was more than enough for him. Adrien quickly annotated her file, stating it was by far the best application he had reviewed and that she was his first choice.

He then checked his watch and sighed. He barely had fifteen minutes left before he would be late meeting Nino at the jewelry store.


	3. Chapter 3: Dream Dress

"I still don't get why you keep refusing to let me make your dress, Alya. It wouldn't be a big deal, really. I could easily squeeze it between cutting my hoodie pattern and sketching those lingerie concepts, and you'd get to have a decent dress," Marinette sighed as she ran her fingers on another cliché, satin ready-to-wear gown. It was pretty enough to the untrained eye, but it was so bland, so generic, so _not special,_ that it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck. She couldn't picture her best friend walking down the aisle in something so ordinary. All the dresses the young designer had seen in this boutique were so plain and boring, even in their magazine-ready gorgeousness. They weren't flamboyant, they weren't fierce or fiery.

They weren't _Alya_.

Marinette would die if she had to watch the amazing woman she loved so much getting married in a dress so below her own standards, she would never even dare turning it in as an assignment. Alya deserved nothing short of the best, the dress she had dreamed ever since she was a little girl.

But Alya Césaire wasn't only fierce and flamboyant.

She was also incredibly stubborn.

Right on cue, Alya shook her head, her eyes intently scanning the room for a diamond in the rough. "We already talked about this, Mari. About a dozen times since Nino proposed. Your plate is already full enough with your finals and that insane portfolio you had to make for your internship applications. Not to mention that the wedding is next week! Let's be real here, girl, there's absolutely no way you can manage to come up with an amazing, original wedding dress design, sew it, _and_ finish your schoolwork in less than seven days. And you still have _your_ dress to make. I can't have my maid-of-honor walking down the aisle in rags, now can I?"

Marinette pouted childishly, crossing her arms over her chest. No matter where she looked, she was surrounded by generic designs that lacked any personality or flare, stuff that had her inner designer crying in a corner. Clothes that were pretty, but uninspired, empty. Fiddling with the hem of a beaded veil, Marinette carefully eyed her friend, "I know you' won't like this, but there's still the design I submitted in my portfolio, the pattern's almost done, and…."

Alya spun around, still holding a few choices of garters as she stared at her friend in disbelief. "Are you nuts? You poured your heart and soul into that design, Marinette! I can't even count how many all-nighters you pulled to make it "perfect". That's _your_ dream dress! There's no way I'm gonna wear your dress in this lifetime. That masterpiece is yours to make, and yours to wear, that is if someone ever manages to snap you out of your eternal celibacy."

Marinette frowned, halting her search for a suitable dress for her best friend. "We are so _not_ talking about this right now, Alya." That slippery topic of conversation never boded well for her, not whenever her reporter of a friend was concerned. Alya was basically a walking lie-detector, and her favourite hobby was to pry into Marinette's nonexistent love life. With an exasperate sigh, the young designer returned to her fruitless quest for a proper dress, pointedly ignoring the stare she could feel on her back.

Not to be deterred by her friend's openly hostile attitude, Alya went back examining dresses as she replied with a teasing but wry smile. "Not talking about what? About how you wasted the last seven years of your lonely life hopelessly pining over Adrien Agreste, even though you haven't even talked to him ever since he moved to Toulouse? Or about how you keep coming up with more and more creative excuses avoid finally meeting the guy you've been texting 24/7 for the last six months?"

Marinette groaned inwardly and pulled another cliché dress from the rack, staring at it intently without even seeing it just so her friend wouldn't notice how she was hit so close to home. "Adrien has been history for _years_ now and you know it. And whether or not I'm ready to meet my anonymous texting buddy face to face is between me and him. For all we know, he could be a serial killer!"

Alya chuckled disbelievingly as she tried on a long veil, which seemed so cheaply made Marinette couldn't help but visibly cringe. "That guy''s been begging you to meet you forever Mari," Alya said. "Your weird issues are yours and yours alone. Don't blame them on him."

Embarrassment washing over her, the young designer abandoned her futile quest to find a suitable dress and flopped into a nearby armchair. "It's just that … I like how things are right now between us... I can tell him anything, no holding back. I just really don't want our relationship to change." She fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "I don't want him to be disappointed once he finally sees who the girl behind the screen."

Alya's glare softened instantly and she immediately wrapped her arms around the smaller girl into a bone-crushing hug. "Mari… Is that really why you're stalling, silly girl? How could he ever be disappointed in you? You're an amazing girl, do you really not see it?"

Marinette snorted dryly, hugging herself as she casted a glance to her phone despite herself. "Yeah," she sighed, "so amazing that Adrien never even bothered gave me a second glance in all the years I was literally sitting right there, five feet behind him. And then moved to the other side of France without as much as a goodbye." She quickly pulled out her phone and typed a quick text,

 _[Ladybug]: Bestie's snooping in my nonexistent love life again. S.O.S._

"I thought you were long over him?" Alya asked, pulling back from her friend to carefully study her expression.

Marinette rubbed her temples, trying to ease the headache threatening to overwhelm her as Alya was getting closer and closer to the source of her inner turmoil.

"Being over him doesn't mean it doesn't hurt anymore," Marinette said nonchalantly, hoping to deter her friend from her hopeless case. "He never even acknowledged my existence after all those years, Alya, what makes you think it would change now? I never even stood a chance with him to even begin with."

Her phone chimed softly in her palm, distracting her briefly from her grim thoughts.

 _[Chat Noir]: Do you want me to come in and free you from her evil grip and emotional abuse? If so I'm gonna need a few minutes to find my superhero tights 3 =^.^=_

She smiled fondly at the words of her silly kitty, and Alya picked up on her change of mood instantly. "See?" she all but boasted. "He texted you and you're suddenly shining brighter than the sun itself. Why won't you give him the chance he deserves? Heck, the guy was ready to move to Paris just to get to know you better, and yet you keep shutting him down! I just don't get it, Marinette."

Marinette frowned, tucking her phone back into her pocket, "You're the one getting married, we should be focusing on that. Why is my virtual love life—or lack thereof—suddenly the topic of the day?"

 _[Ladybug]: I swear I'm gonna kill her if she doesn't drop it._

 _[Chat Noir]: No! You can't be a jailbird, m'lady! I'm severely allergic to feathers!_

 _[Chat Noir]: ...I will be allowed to visit you in jail, right? Cause I don't think they allow cellphones in there._

"I'm just worried, Mari," Alya said softly. "You've never even been in a real relationship yet, and you keep pushing that texting buddy away with every excuse you can come up with even though he's never shown any ill intent. He won't wait for you forever, you know? Six months is already a long time for a nameless, faceless woman, and yet there he is, still patiently waiting for you to make even a little room for him in your life."

 _[Ladybug]: Will you at least bring me a bread loaf with a file hidden in it? That's what they do in movies._

She looked up from her phone and sighed dejectedly. "Alya, I'm fine. I don't need a boyfriend to keep me warm at night. My life is right on track just as it is. Things will come in due time. I don't have any free time for a boyfriend now anyway. My texting buddy would get bored with me within a few days and he'd run away with his tail between his legs as soon as he got the chance."

 _[Chat Noir]: Of course I'll bring you bread, m'lady! A nail file might delay your escape too much, though, I'll miss you. Better sneak you the prison keys! =^.^=_

She chuckled out loud at his last text, a novice mistake. Alya arched a curious eyebrow at her, still dejectedly scanning the dress racks. "You two busy scheming?"

At that Marinette laughed out loud. "Actually, we're planning my jailbreak _after_ your murder."

Alya smiled. "I'm relieved to hear it. At least you won't rot in jail because of me. Let's head to another store, nothing here seems right for me."

Getting up, Marinette sighed deeply. "Alya, stop being so stubborn. No matter how many stores we go to, you're not going to find what you're looking for because it simply doesn't exist! Not yet."

 _[Ladybug]: She's onto us. Hide any evidence you may have at your place!_

 _[Chat Noir]: Plagg's already hiding in the dryer (since he obviously is the murder weapon). What more do you need me to make disappear?_

The brunette shrugged. "It's a small ceremony, I only have to find something that looks nice enough. Nino's parents are leaving the day after the wedding, so we can't possibly postpone it. Honestly, anything fitting my damned hourglass shape is fine by me by this point."

Marinette shook her head forcibly. "Not on my watch. There's absolutely no way I'm going to let my best friend get married in an 'okay' dress. Let's head back to my place: we'll talk about what you had in mind, and I'm going to make it."

Alya stared at her best friend in disbelief. "Marinette, you don't have any time to spare and…"

"I'm not gonna let my best friend marry in a lame dress just because we're short on time. I'll pull an all-nighter or two if I have to, but you ARE walking down that aisle in a stunning dress. My place. Now."

As much as Alya would've liked to argue, she knew Marinette could be just as stubborn as she was. As much as she herself was nagging her about the boyfriend matter, she knew perfectly well that the young designer would be just as stubborn about her dress. If she kept stalling, it would only lessen the time Marinette would have to sew the thing, so Alya figured she might as well give up already and let her friend do as she intended, since it was going to happen in the end anyway.

The drive back to her apartment was abnormally silent, as Marinette was still processing the unexpected confrontation about her love life. Sure, it was far from the first time Alya had bugged her about it, but it had been the first time she had been so aggressive about it. True, Alya was no stranger to problems in her best friend's life, but pushing it that far, despite Marinette's obvious discomfort, pressing things like that? That was a first. The young designer felt uneasy, having her flaws thrown in her face like that. She _knew_ she was unfair to Chat Noir, and she knew that her handicapping insecurities and reluctance to meet him were more than likely going to push him away sooner or later.

Six months of talking and he still respected her wish to keep any identity-revealing information out of their relationship. He took gladly what she was willing to give and never asked for more. What Alya had labeled as him begging to meet her had in fact only been a shy Chat Noir, walking on eggshells, suggesting that one day, if she felt ready, he'd like to meet her.

And he never pushed it.

Sighing, Marinette got out of the car and walked toward her door. Alya picked up on her sour mood, and patted her best friend back sympathetically. "Hey. Sorry if I went too far. I worry about you, that's all. And with me getting married… I don't want you to be alone."

"I get it," Marinette smiled softly as she unlocked her door. "I'm not mad at you, just a little shaken about all this. Let's get started on that dress if you want it ready on time."

Three hours, many measurements, and a few peals of laughter later, Alya finally left her alone to gather her thoughts and get started on the design itself.

As soon as she closed her apartment door, Marinette pulled out the phone that she had ignored while Alya was over,

 _[Ladybug] Just a fair warning, I have a wedding dress to make, may be MIA for the next few days._

 _[Chat Noir]: Just reassure me, the dress isn't for you, right? Did you get coerced into an arranged marriage? But don't worry m'lady, I know how you get into your designs! =^.^=._

She smiled at that text, before typing quickly:

 _[Ladybug]: Don't worry alley cat, it's for the nosy best friend. If I'm ever to get married, you'll be the first to know._

 _[Chat Noir]: I sure hope so. =^.~=_

The young woman hesitated briefly, before typing,

 _[Ladybug]: Hey kitty?_

 _[Chat Noir]: Huh? =^.^=_

 _[Ladybug]: I'm going to miss you over the next few days. And thanks for being there for me, can't say how much it means to me._

The answer was almost instant:

 _[Chat Noir]: Always, princess._


	4. Chapter 4: Short Notice

Adrien leaned in to inspect yet another wedding band, not exactly sure how it was supposed different from the last one. "It's a pretty ring... Just like the last four hundred rings you've shoved under my nose in the past three days. Honestly Nino, why is it so difficult to choose a simple wedding ring? You weren't so picky with the engagement ring, you literally just bought the first one the clerk showed you!"

His best friend sighed, still fidgeting nervously with the cord of his headphones. "The engagement ring was only for two weeks; it didn't really matter. I could have proposed with a straw and Alya still probably would've said yes. It just had to be pretty enough not to disappoint her but not expensive enough to break the bank. It was easy! Now, I have to choose the rings we'll be wearing for the rest of our lives! I just _can't_ pick wrong…"

The blond model smiled and shook his head as Nino went back searching for the perfect band, if it even existed. "Why did you propose on such short notice anyway? If you ask me, trying to organize an entire wedding in two weeks is suicide. You're just asking for trouble."

Nino snorted dismissively as he asked the poor clerk to pull yet another ring for closer inspection. "We already talked about it, dude. My folks are moving out of the country to take care of my sick Nana for what might be years, and Alya wanted a very traditional wedding, with the dress, the parents, the cake. So it was either two-weeks notice or waiting months, years even. She won't even think about having kids before we're married, and if I wait for my parents to come back it could very well pushes the baby project back until we're thirty. _Thirty_ , dude! That's a little late for kids in my book. I want kids. And I want them sooner rather than later."

Adrien smiled knowingly as he spotted a thin, gold wedding band in the display. He pointed at it, gently tapping on the glass. "This one would be great. It's simple and classic, so it won't ever fall out of fashion."

Nino took a curious look at the ring Adrien was showing him and grinned widely. It was a very simple golden band lined with white gold. "Dude, it's perfect! You're a genius! I knew your knowledge of fashion would come in handy someday!" Nino nodded at the clerk, who picked the ring out of the glass display to wrap it up.

"You know this doesn't change anything. I still think you're suicidal. And stupid."

"Thanks for thinking so highly of me, you're so supportive." Nino snickered as the clerk handed him the bag with the twin rings safely boxed inside. "Now that that's settled, should we start looking for an engagement ring for your lucky lady?"

The blond model frowned as he pulled out his phone, opening his messenger client.

 _"_ Things aren't like that with her—at least not yet— and you know it!"

 _[Chat Noir] I guess it's my turn it now! Best bud is snooping into my love life, actually thinks I should buy you an engagement ring because we talk so much._

 _[Ladybug] Seriously? 22 is pretty young to get married anyway._

Nino smiled softly. "It's not like that? Who are you kidding? Dude, you're head over heels for her already even though you don't even know what she looks like. You've got meet her in person. You'll knock her socks off, Mr. Male Model."

Adrien's expression fell. Nino was walking through a minefield, and he knew it. "She doesn't want us to, and I respect that."

 _[Chat Noir] Tell that to the bud. I'm sick and tired of trying to help him pick out THE wedding ring out of 500 identical rings._

 _[Ladybug] I swear to God, everybody's getting married or popping out babies these days._

As they walked to the register and Nino pulled out his wallet to pay for the matching wedding bands, he cast a sideways glance to Adrien. "Are you really okay with all this dude? I mean, it's been six months already, and you don't even know her _name_. It looks like she's calling all the shots and you don't even have a say in the matter."

He shrugged, his shoulders a bit stiff. "She's not ready and I'm not gonna force myself on her. Our friendship means too much to me."

Nino nervously opened the little box and frowned slightly as they stepped out of the jewelry store, clearly having second thoughts about his choice. "You're sure Alya's gonna love them, right?"

Adrien sighed. "Nino, I'm honestly going to kill you if you even _think_ about looking at another ring."

 _[Chat Noir] I know right? As things are going right now, I think I'm gonna die alone with Plagg as my only family. Can you even put a cat on a will?_

 _[Ladybug] You should check that out before leaving everything to him. At least you have Plagg. I'm all by myself with the nosy best friend. Maybe I should adopt a few strays, then I could be a crazy cat lady._

 _[Ladybug] And if you can't leave everything to Plagg, will him to me. We'll be grumpy and lonely together._

He chuckled out loud when he read her message, prompting Nino to ask. "What are you guys talking about?"

"How we are both going to die alone with our cats while everyone else is getting married or having kids."

"Not our fault you keep stalling. Poor you, getting stuck with nothing but that monstrosity of a cat and all the gourmet cheese the two of you can eat for the rest of your days."

 _[Chat Noir] You should definitely get a cat. Name it Kitty._

 _[Ladybug] OMG not gonna name a cat Kitty. It's got to be more creative than that!_

 _[Chat Noir] Ttyki then?_

 _[Ladybug] Promise me you won't be naming any children anytime soon. I'm pretty sure naming a child "Kid #1" could be classified as child abuse._

 _[Chat Noir] Depends. Are you planning on having kids soon? =^.^=_

Nino nudged him in the ribs. "I'm still here you know."

Adrien tucked away his phone as they headed toward his car, shaking his head. "Unfortunately for me. Are you going to pester me about my love life or lack thereof again?"

"Man, you can't wait for her forever! You're wasting your life away."

The blond model focused on the road ahead of them. "I'm not wasting anything, and it's my choice if I'm willing to wait for her. Or if I date her at all."

"Adrien—"

Adrien cut him short. "If I had known how much of a pain in the ass you'd be about her, I would never have even told you about my texting buddy in the first place. I moved back to Paris a month earlier than I was supposed to to help you with your suicidal wedding, not to be lectured on my life choices."

The groom-to-be left his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'm dropping it."

Adrien felt his phone buzz a few times in his pocket and was half tempted to pass it to Nino to read the newest messages aloud, but basic self-preservation instincts made him decide against it. He wasn't too keen on willingly giving his friend more ammo to use against him, no matter how much he wanted to know what his lady had said.

It wasn't until he had dropped Nino at the couple's apartment and watch the door closed that Adrien frantically fished his phone out of his pocket and opened his messaging application.

 _[Ladybug] I think you might be skipping a few steps there kitty._

 _[Ladybug] I'm pretty sure it takes two people to make kids._

 _[Ladybug] At least that's what they teach at school. Not that I have much of expertise in the matter._

 _[Ladybug] Why? Are you offering?_

Smiling to himself, he quickly replied,

 _[Chat Noir] Busted. Who cares about steps? They're tedious. You and I don't take usual paths anyway. We don't have to go through the awkward first date, picking out ugly curtains, messy breakups and fights steps like everyone else does. We could go straight to the interesting ones._

 _[Chat Noir] Think about it. That way neither of us would die alone :P =^.^=_

Putting the car into motion again and headed home, lost in thoughts. He was pushing his luck a bit and hoped she wouldn't mind his teasing. If he was entirely honest with himself, he was only half-kidding though. If the real girl was only half as amazing as her texting persona, he would marry her on the spot without a backward glance.

If only she would agree to _meet_ him.

Plagg mewled at Adrien as he entered the dark apartment, putting his paws on his leg to beg for food. He rubbed the cat's head while still watching the phone, waiting for Ladybug's reply.

He knew she was scared for various reasons, and he respected that. He was trying his best to soothe her insecurities, but he often felt as if each step forward was quickly followed with two steps back. It was frustrating at times, but he couldn't bring himself to follow Nino's advice and move on from his ridiculous infatuation with her. He was deeply convinced that she was worth it, that she was worth every second he spent thinking about her. That every text he wrote to her got him just a little closer to being with her. That one day she really would be _his_ lady.

 _[Ladybug] What a lucky lady I am, getting to be your backup plan!_

 _[Ladybug] Tell you what? If we turn 35 and we're still both going strong on the die-alone-with-your-cat plan, we might as well go ahead with your marry-my-texting-buddy plan._

 _[Chat Noir] So all I have to do is wait a mere 13 years and I'll get to marry you?_

He waited for her reply as he fixed himself a light meal, then headed to the living room and plopped himself down on the sofa.

 _[Ladybug] Although really I'd say it's just an extension of the die-alone-with-your-cat plan, Kitty. =^.^=_

hat was a bittersweet victory, and it stung way more than he'd care to admit. She was considering his insane offer, but only as a backup plan to avoid growing old all by herself.

 _[Ladybug] Besides, there's no way you'll still be available by then, kitty cat. You're way too sweet._

 _[Chat Noir] It's all for you, m'lady. =^.^=_

His phone chimed again, and Plagg meowed with irritation. Adrien winced too, not ready to be shot down again.

 _[Nathalie] Your father wants me to inform you that the applicant you recommended has been selected for the internship._

 _[Nathalie] He is quite pleased with your work and looks forward to your next assignment._

Grinning widely, he answered quickly:

 _[Adrien] Thanks, Nathalie. I'll be at the office tomorrow morning around seven, is that okay?_

 _[Nathalie] We'll go over your schedule then. Have a nice evening, Adrien._

Maybe the day wasn't so bad after all. He couldn't wait to hear about Marinette's reaction to the news. He hadn't heard about her in a while,, and was genuinely curious what his fierce, creative classmate had been doing with her life for the past five years. Marinette had always been one of his favourite people, and he was truly looking forward to working with her. Ever since he had moved to attend the Université de Toulouse, he had fallen out of touch with all his friends except for Nino, who had taken up the habit of texting him every now and then and even came to visit on a few occasions. Now that he was back in Paris for good, he had every intention of mending every broken bridge.

He switched tabs back to his conversation with Ladybug, who had replied in the meantime,

 _[Ladybug] But I should stop texting you, it's unproductive. I haven't gotten any sewing done today._

Adrien knew he should let her work or she'd spend the night sewing again—t wouldn't be the first time—but he wasn't ready to let her go just yet.

 _[Chat Noir] You wound me, m'lady. How's the dress coming?_

 _[Ladybug] Almost done, just a few alterations left. Turns out the bestie is a little bit bustier than I had thought._

 _[Chat Noir] I can't think of a pun that wouldn't be highly inappropriate right now._

 _[Ladybug] No pun? Are you sure you're feeling well? You don't have a fever, do you?_

 _[Chat Noir] Probably just a little bit tired. It's probably_ ** _breast_** _to let you work now. I don't want your friend to go Bridezilla on you._

 _[Ladybug] Now that would be scarier than your worst nightmares. I'll listen to you then. Good night Kitty. (That pun was terrible, even by your standards!)_

 _[Chat Noir] Sweet dreams princess. =^.^=_

As he put his phone down, Adrien looked around him, satisfied. His new apartment was great, even if it was flooded with unopened cartons and take out boxes for the time being. It wasn't near as luxurious or as spacious as the apartment his father had initially tried to buy him, but it was nice nonetheless and more than enough for him and Plagg. His job was becoming more interesting as his father was delegating more and more important projects to him. It meant less modelling and more managing, which he was infinitely grateful for. Nino and Alya were getting married, he would get to work with Marinette, and he was even looking forward to seeing Chloe again. Overall, his life was in a good place.

If only he could add Ladybug, everything would be truly perfect.


	5. Chapter 5: Blur of emotions

The remainder of the week went by so fast Marinette barely had time to breathe, much less time to think.

* * *

On Monday her graduation was held in the university's courtyard.

She left her hair down and opted for a subtle, natural face. She looked herself over in the mirror before applying her favorite mascara to add a touch of drama to the look. She was wearing the traditional black robes over a cute, simple burgundy-red dress with tulle trim that she had designed for the occasion. When she looked in the mirror, Marinette couldn't help but smile at the pretty young woman looking back at her. She was perched atop black leather stilettos that were somewhat life-threatening for the clumsiness queen she was. Sure, she had grown quite confident in her field, but she still managed to trip over thin air from time to time. A golden chain around her neck finished her carefully planned look. She was utterly gorgeous and unmistakably fashionable at the same time.

Needless to say, her parents were among the crowd, along with Alya and Nino. All of them hollering loud cheers when Marinette's name was called. With a wide smile, she stepped on stage to receive her diploma with shaking fingers from Gabriel Agreste himself, her university's guest of honour. She stood briefly beside the high-end designer to let the photographer and her family to snap a few pictures for posterity, completely unable to tear the grin from her face. She could perfectly see the pride in her family's eyes for her and her alone. Seeing her mother clinging to Alya's arm, happy tears running down her face, while Nino and her father were grinning widely at her, shooting her thumbs up made her heart flutter. They believed in her.

They always had.

She went back to sit among her fellow graduates, somehow managing to avoid tripping over her feet and way-too-high heels on the way. Marinette couldn't help the overwhelming satisfaction swelling in her chest. She had done it: all by herself, without relying on anyone else. She had worked her ass off in the past years, taking commissions, tutoring fellow students, and doing side projects for her teachers to make ends meet. She had survived on very little sleep and more than a little caffeine, but in the end, it had all been worth it. She had paid her rent and tuition all by herself, went through crazy ups and downs and still managed to graduate top of her class and without owing a penny. Unable to contain the joy and pride in her chest, Marinette snuck her phone out of her purse as the class president began her goodbye speech. Settling her mortarboard on her lap, she quickly snapped a picture of it on her black graduation robes with a little of the deep red tulle peeking out and sent it to Chat Noir.

 _[Ladybug] I've done it, Chat! University is over! Can you believe Gabriel Agreste handed me my diploma?_

The reply she got barely five minutes later sent her heart soaring,

 _[Chat Noir] Was there even any doubt you could do it, princess? 3_

* * *

Tuesday proved to be even more stressful as she had to cram in three internships interviews in the same day.

Marinette was running on a meager three hours of sleep because she had spent most of the night trying to figure out the perfect outfit. She couldn't afford a misstep, not when Agreste's internship was rationally out of her reach. If she was honest with herself, none of those interviews were leading to the one apprenticeship she truly had her eye on. But given that she hadn't heard back from Gabriel Agreste yet, it was clear that he had chosen another applicant out of the thousands of portfolios he had received. She had to fall back to one of her second choices.

She had to look pretty yet professional, but she still wanted to showcase her love for fashion that's what it was really about. In the end, after much fretting and a few frantic and desperate texts to both Chat Noir and Alya, she settled on a deep red, high-waisted pencil skirt that fell just below her knees. It was a safe choice that would be both stylish and appropriate for an interview, especially when paired with a more daring shirt that left her shoulders and collar bare. Eyeing her beloved and comfortable pink ballet flats regretfully, she picked a pair of pitch black kitten heels from her closet. Going for stilettos probably would've been more fitting, but seeing as she had somehow managed to walk away unscathed from her graduation ceremony, she wasn't ready to push her luck.

Snapping a picture of herself from the chin down in front of her full-length mirror, she received the feedback she craved in about thirty seconds.

 _[Alya] You'll have 'em eating out of the palm of your hand! Go get 'em, girl!_

 _[Chat Noir] Wow. Is it too late to offer you an internship so I can see you dressed up like this everyday? =^.^=_

She thanked them both for their input, and left her apartment, buzzing with confidence.

All three interviews went incredibly well and two of them led to offers.

She asked both for a few days of reflection, still clinging to a faint hope of hearing news from Agreste, despite knowing that the odds they'd contact her were slim.

* * *

Wednesday was the most emotionally straining day of the week.

With Alya's wedding only a few days away, she and Marinette had to do the final fitting for her dress, so the young woman would have enough time to do any needed alterations.

The young designer knew it should fit and live up to Alya's expectations (which had been pretty low, to be perfectly honest), but she wanted it to be the perfect dress that would fulfill her friend's wildest dreams.

Both girls stood utterly stunned, staring at the redhead's reflection in Marinette's mirror. The gown had a ballroom floor-length silk skirt, gathered around Alya's full hips. The bodice was made of white lace sewn on top of sparkling white satin, in a Queen Anne neckline that made the girl look simply amazing.

Gazing at her own reflection, the normally confident Alya stumbled over her words. "T-t-hanks Marinette. It-I… There wasn't anything remotely like this in the stores we went to." Alya chuckled at how cheesy that sounded.

Marinette smiled fondly, straightening the shoulder of the dress. "I'm happy you like it. I worked hard on it, I wanted it to be perfect."

Rubbing her suddenly watery eyes, Alya clasped her hand. "Say, girl… Even when I'm married, you'll still stick around, right?"

The young woman took a second to ponder where that thought might have come from. Seeing as she didn't have a single clue, she just stared at her friend, bewildered. "Don't worry Alya, you're stuck with me through thick and thin. You won't get away from me so easily!" Marinette laughed, wrapping her arms around her friend

Their laughs soon morphed into tears as they hugged each other tightly.

"Everything is changing," Alya tearfully said, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

Marinette hugged her closer, "Not us. Nothing will ever change between us."

That night, Marinette went to bed early, completely exhausted, even though in the end the dress had proved to be perfect just as it was and didn't need any alterations.

Her slumber was so deep she never even heard her phone chime.

 _[Chat Noir] Goodnight princess, sweet dreams 3_

* * *

Despite her promises to Alya the day before, on Thursday Marinette woke up with a sudden loneliness weighing down on her. A feeling that she was getting more and more often as of late. A feeling that was stifling her, making her days heavy on her shoulders. Alya and Nino were getting married. Her parents were busy with the bakery and she didn't see them nearly as often as she would've liked to.

Marinette had worked so hard through her university years that she hadn't made any real friends in the process. Every night she came back to an empty and lifeless apartment, and she knew that once she'd start working in the industry things would only get worse. She was the type of person that would spend the night in her office to finish a design if she didn't have a reason to come back home.

Truth be told, the only friend she could always rely on was Chat Noir. And since she had her phone with her at all times, he wouldn't be enough of a reason to go back home at night. She got out of bed, resolving to follow his advice for once.

Two hours later, she found herself in a local animal shelter, scanning the cages for someone to come home to. As she was looking in the different cages, she heard a small sneeze. Turning around, she spotted a small calico kitten wiggling her nose as if trying to avoid sneezing again. It didn't work, she sneezed again and Marinette's heart melted.

"You're getting adopted today, Lucky Girl."

Once she found the cutest kitten in the shelter, she happily made her way to the front, mentally planning her upcoming shopping spree to the pet shop. She'd need a litter box, bowls, cat food, litter, toys, had to plan vet bills…

But looking at the small ball of fur curled up in her arms, she knew it was all well worth it. She paid the adoption fees without even a second thought. The second she stepped foot in her apartment, she quickly snapped a picture of the kitten sound asleep in the crook of her left arm.

 _[Ladybug] has sent you a picture._

 _[Ladybug] Hey there kitty. As of this moment, you have competition for my heart!_

 _[Ladybug] Meet Tikki._

His reply came barely five minutes later:

 _[Chat Noir] Competition huh? Could bring her down in seconds! (Who in their right mind names a cat Tikki?)_

Marinette laughed as she released a shy kitten in her living room.

 _[Ladybug] You do. Well, Ttyki was really, really awkward, so I settled on Tikki for her instead. I hope that doesn't hurt your precious feelings._

 _[Chat Noir] =O.O=_

 _[Chat Noir] Quite the opposite! I'm honoured you remembered my suggestion. Hey there Tikki!_

 _[Chat Noir] What's our beautiful, brand new daughter up to today? =^.^=_

* * *

Friday morning found Marinette exhausted, yet ready to tackle the entire world.

Tikki had spent the whole night rather noisily exploring her new environment, managing to knock over a potted plant along with some discarded coffee mugs despite her small size. The ensuing ruckus had meant next to no sleep for Marinette, who decided at some point to spend the night sleeping on the couch supervising her kitten. She didn't have anything important to do that day _(finally!)_ , so she figured she could use a little nap and finally allowed herself to close her eyes while Tikki fought viciously with a piece of yarn. Just as the young woman finally was on the verge of falling asleep, the postman knocked on her door.

Instantly startled out of her sleepiness, Marinette bolted for the door, tripping over Tikki in the process, and almost breaking her neck in her tumble. As soon as she cracked the door open, a clipboard was rudely shoved in her face. "Registered letter for Mlle Dupain-Cheng. Sign next to the X, Mademoiselle."

The postman was already long gone before her stunned brain managed to register exactly what she was holding in her hands.

On the good quality envelope, printed in bold colours, was the Agreste logo.

Hands shaking, she reached for her phone, a reflex that had become a second nature by now. She knew Chat Noir was working at the moment, but she had promised him she'd tell him as soon as she'd heard from her favourite internship.

 _[Ladybug]: Kitty! It's here! I'm holding it right now!_

It didn't even take ten minutes to Chat respond, despite being in the middle of work. Still, that ten minutes felt excruciatingly long to Marinette, who kept staring at the envelope in her hands until she heard her phone chime.

 _[Chat Noir]: So? Quick, tell me the news! (Before my boss fires me would be nice.)_

Giggling to herself, Marinette typed back,

 _[Ladybug]: I don't know yet. I mean, what am I even supposed to do? Can't stop shaking. What if I'm out?_

 _[Chat Noir]: OPEN THE GODDAMN ENVELOPE LB!_

Giggling with giddy anxiety, Marinette opened the envelope with unsteady fingers. There it was: the letter she had been waiting for. The letter she had been dreaming of. Eyes foggy with bent up pressure, she desperately tried to make out words in fine print before her.

 _"Mlle Dupain-Cheng:_

 _It is with great pleasure that Agreste would like to offer you the opportunity of a design internship with our company._

 _We feel it worth mention that all five jury members upon reviewing your application this position selected your portfolio as their first choice. This is unprecedented._

 _We are confident your dedication for your career in design and your work with our team will live up to the expectations set by your portfolio._

 _We look forward to working with you._

 _Nathalie Sancoeur_

 _on the behalf of M. Gabriel Agreste"_

 _[Chat Noir]: So? Don't leave me hanging here! Coworkers glaring at me!_

Marinette chuckled at her phone.

 _[Ladybug]: I GOT IN! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?_

It was a few minutes before her phone chimed again.

 _[Chat Noir]: I always knew you could do it!_

 _[Chat Noir]: Sorry, had to escape to the bathroom before I could answer!_

 _[Chat Noir]: (I don't know if I will make it through today! One of my coworkers looked like he was ready to murder me. If he kills me please send someone over to feed Plagg.) =x.x=_

Laughing at loud by then, Marinette only managed to reply:

 _[Ladybug]: Seeing as I don't even know where you live, that would be a hard promise to keep._

A brief pause, before the three telltale dots began moving again

 _[Chat Noir]: Gotta go before one of them skins me alive. Can I talk to you tonight?_

 _[Ladybug]: As always. Go kitty, before you lose yet another of your nine lives!_

Putting her phone down and grinning ear to ear, Marinette clutched the letter to her heart, still letting it sink in.

No second interview. No additional questions. Her portfolio alone had been enough to land her an awesome internship, one that could really kick-start her fashion career.

Grabbing her coat, she made sure Tikki was safe and hurried out. She couldn't wait to break the good news to her parents and Alya.


	6. Chapter 6: Spiraled out of control

On Saturday night, Adrien found himself standing alone in the warmth of the late June evening, outside of Nino's favorite pub. The groom-to-be was running late to his own bachelor party, so the blond was killing time rereading his lady's ridiculous, late-night texts.

A smiled stretched his lips as he recalled just how thrilled Ladybug had been to get the internship she had been sure was way out of her league. Even though she had stubbornly kept her lips sealed on any interesting details regarding said internship, he was truly happy that Ladybug had been offered the opportunity to follow her dreams.

Not that it stopped him from looking for clues to who she was. He had managed to weasel out of her that her internship was for one of Paris's major fashion companies. Not that it narrowed it down much or gave him any clues, Paris was iconic for many big fashion houses and his lady was notoriously tight-lipped. But when she had let it slip that his _father_ had handed her her diploma, he had practically swooned. It could only mean she was graduating from the _École Supérieure des Arts et Techniques de la Mode_.

The young man found himself wondering what exactly her concentration in her fashion major had been. Was she going to be a part of the design team? Production maybe? With her sassy replies and great comebacks, she would surely be a dream came true for any marketing team in their right mind. He didn't put it beyond his lady to aim for management either.

All he knew was that her first day was on Monday, and he made a mental note to ask her about how it went as soon as he got home. Adrien sighed, trying to stifle his worries about her. He was well aware the fashion world was full of sharks, and he prayed she wouldn't lose her sanity as she clawed her way to the top. She wasn't helpless and was more than able to fend for herself. Still, he dearly wished he could do something for her. He wanted to support her through the challenges that were sure to come her way and protect her from the jealousy and backstabbing of the fashion world. He could, his name held great weight, but Ladybug didn't want to know who he was and wouldn't want his help even if she did. That didn't mean he wouldn't support her as Chat Noir.

"Hey dude, what's with the long face?" Nino's cheerful voice suddenly stirred him out of his grim thoughts.

Shaking his head, Adrien forced himself to focus on his best friend. "Sorry, I'm worried that Ladybug is gonna get eaten alive in her new internship on Monday."

"Not a chance, you're the only one she'd allow to eat her up!" Nino grinned mischievously "...or should I say 'eat her out'?" He waggled his eyebrows and Adrien refused to dignify that with a response, but he couldn't stop a blush from coloring his cheeks. "Hey, I believe you're taking me out for my bachelor party! A few dirty jokes is par for the course."

"But really, just _Daltons'_ for your bachelor party? I have to say I was more than a little surprised. This is really what you want to do on your last night of freedom Nino? I expected an evening a bit more … wild?" Adrien said, shifting the conversation away as they made their way inside the familiar pub, Nino nodding to the bartender as they reached his old favorite spot.

Nino sighed, reaching for the menu even though he could easily recite it by heart. "I'd rather spend time in my favorite pub with my best friend than be anywhere else. Besides, it's a travesty that you never got to try Mama Dalton's Muy Calientes Nachos!"

The blond chuckled as he checked his phone for the fifth time since they sat down, willing himself to put it back in his pocket and put all his attention on the man of the hour. "Alya must be keeping you on a tight leash! You wouldn't even let me get you a stripper!"

Nino huffed. "It's not that at all. I don't get the appeal of watching women undress when I can have the real deal at home—and actually get to touch all I want. Much more than touch… taste and..."

Adrien covered his ears and pretended to cower. "Stop it! You're going taint my pure, innocent soul with your unmarried sins!"

The groom-to-be rolled his eyes just as the waitress stopped by took their orders. Once she left, Adrien smiled warmly at his best friend. "Seriously, though, is Alya being as tame as you are tonight?"

Nino smiled fondly. "Even more, can you believe that? Her bachelorette party is actually a sleepover at Mari's with Juleka and Rose. I think Mylene's supposed to stop by later tonight, Ivan had to work late and she couldn't find a babysitter. Their plan is to stuff themselves ice cream and cookies until they get stomach aches, and treat themselves to mani-pedis while having a Gilmore Girls marathon."

Hearing the news about their high school friends made Adrien uneasy. Moving to Toulouse had saved his relationship with his father, giving them both a chance to step back and grieve his mother's death. It let them redefine their own dynamic as a family, but he had lost contact with everyone he knew from high school as an aftermath, and he wasn't always sure he had made the right choice. Sometimes he wondered if it had really been worth it, but his father respected him now, and had agreed to let him son quit modelling at long last and become one of his trusted business advisors. Surely that had to count for something, right?

"Hey, you alright man?"

"Yeah…" Adrien sighed, snapping out of his thoughts. "It just feels like I have missed out on so much when I was in Toulouse. Don't get me wrong, having some time away from my father was very welcome, but… Seeing all of you settle down kinda makes me realize how much I missed these last few years. Ivan and Mylene are married and with two kids already and a third on the way, Juleka and Rose have been together since God knows when, Marinette is the next genius designer, and you and Alya are tying the knot tomorrow… And the only things I've done are modeling for my father and getting a business management degree, again for my father… I want to do something for me, for _Adrien_ , not for the Agreste brand _._ I've lost so many friends, I just wish there weren't so many bridges to rebuild, you know?"

His cheeks colored as he realized he was rambling. "Didn't mean to unload everything on you. This is supposed to be your night."

"Don't sweat it, Dude," Nino replied as he took a bite of the flaming nachos that had just arrived. "I'm glad I get to talk to you again; it really feels good to have you back." He took a swig of his beer. "But you know... You should talk to Marinette tomorrow, I think you'll find a sympathetic ear: she's been feeling just as lonely as you are. She been so focused on her studies those past few years and on landing that internship with your old man that her social life has been rendered nonexistent, well apart from Alya and yours truly. Not to mention her love life! There hasn't been anyone… well not since the Nathanael incident."

Adrien growled inwardly. "Please tell me he won't be there tomorrow," he asked, unsure about how neutral he would able to remain if he had to face Nathanael.

Nino sighed. "Well, we couldn't really get away with not inviting him, since we invited the whole high school class… Heck, Alya even invited Chloe so she wouldn't feel left out! But neither he nor Chloe RSVPed, so I hope it means they won't show up. Besides, it's been four years. And Mari says she's moved on, so I think we're in the clear."

Before he could answer that he was more worried about his own reaction should Nathanael even look at Marinette, Adrien felt his phone suddenly buzzing wildly in his pocket. Nino was sitting right in front of him, his phone was nowhere in sight, so that meant it could only be _his lady_. Nobody else ever texted him. The way his phone kept vibrating non stop made him worry, and he hastily pulled it out to check why she was texting him so compulsively.

 _[Ladybug]: HELP!_

 _[Ladybug]: OMG you have to get me out of here, I beg you!_

 _[Ladybug]: I'm serious kitty._

 _[Ladybug]: Find me a way out! Quick!_

 _[Chat Noir]: What is it my lady?_

 _[Ladybug]:_ has sent you a picture.

Adrien's eyes went wide when he opened the photo, prompting Nino to snatch his phone from his hand, stunning him when he saw the image displayed on the screen. It was a rather disturbing close-up of a very naked butt, framed with a silver sequined thong. A _very_ masculine butt.

 _[Chat Noir]: Did someone steal a drag queen's clothes or something?_

Nino laughed uncomfortably. "Wow. Someone's having a lot more exciting night than we are, huh?"

Adrien nodded, still slightly shocked by the picture. Being a model meant he had seen plenty of skin in his life and was pretty immune to a display like this, but his lady was clearly more than a little uncomfortable with the situation. The following texts only further cemented that idea in his mind.

 _[Ladybug]: OMG! HE'S RIGHT in my face!_

 _[Ladybug]: PLEASE HELP ME! I CAN'T DO THIS_

The blond glanced at Nino who was currently stuffing his face with nachos, giving him a cheese-covered thumbs-up. Of course, Nino wouldn't mind him texting his secret lady friend on his bachelor party. Nino knew how important his texting buddy was to him, not to mention his belief that Ladybug should be more than just a friend. Of course he didn't know just how unhappy said lady friend was at the moment.

 _[Chat Noir]: Are you okay LB? And how did you end up in this uncomfortable situation princess?_

 _[Ladybug]: No I'm not. And girls' night out kinda spiraled out of control._

 _[Ladybug]: One of my friends hired a stripper as a surprise._

 _[Ladybug]: It's gonna be fun, she said._

 _[Ladybug]: FLASH NEWS: HAVING SOMEONE'S ASS SHOVED INTO YOUR FACE ISN'T FUN!_

"Hey Dude, are you going to finish your beer?" Nino asked, a noncommittal sound his only answer.

 _[Chat Noir]: Find an excuse to leave. Escape to the bathroom. Do you want me to give you a rescue call?_

 _[Ladybug]: I… I think I just need some moral support. Please?_

 _[Ladybug]: I think I'm calming down already._

"Dude?"

Adrien smiled fondly at his screen.

 _[Chat Noir]: I'm right here, princess, and you know this._

 _[Chat Noir]: Just look away if the stripper makes you uncomfortable, okay?_

 _[Chat Noir]: Either way I'm here, Bug._

Nino leaned back in his chair, smirking, "Alya and I are moving on the moon next Tuesday, we were hoping you'd help with the packing."

 _[Ladybug]: Thanks. I need that._

"You know," Nino began as he took a sip of his beer, "this mysterious girl really has a strong grip on you."

The blond frowned. "Why do you say that?"

Nino snorted, beer almost coming out his nose, and he simply pointed to the phone tightly clutched into Adrien's hand.

Adrien blushed so hard his ears turned red. "Well…" He breathed, "She is pretty amazing. I really enjoy talking to her. She's fun, and sassy, and really smart…"

 _[Chat Noir]: If you knew strippers would give you an anxiety attack, why didn't you tell your friends?_

 _[Ladybug]: I DIDN'T KNOW! I don't usually spend my weekends with strippers, you know!_

 _[Chat Noir]: Oh. That's kinda a hard way of finding out._

"...and currently having a panic attack about male strippers," Adrien finished. "I don't know, Nino, I just can't seem to get her out of my head. She's somewhere out there, and she's upset, and the only thing I can do to comfort her is sending her texts. I… She means a lot to me."

"Is she better now?"

Adrien nodded. "I think so"

Nino smiled, helping himself to some of his friend's nachos since his were long gone. "As long as we're getting things off our chests, I'm kinda nervous about tomorrow. What if everything goes wrong? What if Mari trips and break her neck, or Alya ruins her dress? Oh god, what if Alya changes her mind? What if…"

"Hey, everything's gonna be fine." Adrien cut him off. "Alya won't have second thoughts, Nino, you have been together for six years, for God's sake! And if the maid of honor does trip, your best man will be beside her to catch her. And Marinette can repair the dress in no time if anything happens to it. Just breath man."

Nino sighed deeply. "My brain knows you're right, but even then I can't stop myself from feeling … anxious?"

"Don't worry about it," Adrien insisted. "And by this time tomorrow you'll be on the train to Italy with your lovely wife."

The smile and love struck awe he read in the amber eyes of his best friend made Adrien's heart ache. He wanted that type of love.

 _[Ladybug]: … I hate you._

 _[Chat Noir]: Nope, you love me. I'm serious, want me to give you a call? I can pretend to be your grandma in the hospital?_

 _[Ladybug]: Won't work. They all know my nana is in Brazil as we speak._

 _[Chat Noir]: I… could be your long lost brother, and I need you to pick me up at the airport?_

 _[Ladybug]: I hate you even more now. Ain't talking to you anymore tonight!_

 _[Chat Noir]: But you'll text me if you need me, right?_

 _[Ladybug]: Yes, you know I will, kitty. Still hate you though._

Tomorrow, Nino would be marrying the love of his life.

And Adrien couldn't be happier for them. Neither more jealous of what they had.

 _[Chat Noir]: Enjoy your night out with your friends my lady. You deserve a night off._

 _[Chat Noir]: And just tell the stripper he makes you uneasy if he gets too close. He's a human being, you know? Have a good evening xx_

 _[Chat Noir]: Call me if you need me. Anytime._


	7. Chapter 7: No more crying

Marinette's fingers danced along the back of Alya's dress, quickly and skillfully lacing the white satin ribbon. She hesitated, feeling just how much tension laced the muscles underneath her hands. Marinette squeezed her best friend's shoulder in support. Alya's hand covered hers, "Thanks, Mari. I don't know what I would do without you."

Marinette stepped back a little, admiring her work, "Turn around," she asked softly, and her friend shyly obliged, eyes shining with pent-up emotion. Looking at herself in the floor length mirror, Alya found herself speechless for the first time in her life.

Marinette squealed in utter delight. "You look perfect perfect, Alya! Truly, you're beautiful." The dress fit her body like a glove, enhancing the unique features Alya loved about herself while concealing the bits she wasn't too fond of. "Nino's a lucky man," she whispered, carefully pinning the veil in place.

The redhead teared up once more, prompting Marinette to raise a warning hand. "Hey! No more crying, you're going to ruin your makeup again and we don't have enough time to start over a third time!"

The bride smiled and laughed softly as she absentmindedly smoothed the folds of the magnificent skirt. "You're right Mari. Sorry, I'm a little emotional. I know I'm marrying the love of my life today and the dress is perfect and I look perfect…" her voice caught for a moment "I couldn't have done it without you. You look stunning too, by the way."

Marinette grinned smugly at the praise. While Alya's wedding dress was definitely her true tour de force considering the time she had been given to pull it off, the dress she had designed for herself truly made her chest swell with pride. The dress was a soft A-line with a flowy, knee-length skirt made out of a hot pink chiffon that complemented her complexion.

Draping the flounce around the back of the garment had been a nightmare, but it had been worth it. That detail made the look more aerial, and the sweetheart neckline was daring without being too revealing. Her faithful, black leather kitten heels perfectly completed the look, making her feel sexy, yet still confident she wasn't going to trip and break her neck. Marinette was really proud of herself.

Marinette's phone chimed with a text from Rose. She quickly checked it and tugged on Alya's hand, snapping both of them out of their respective daydreams. "Come on girl! Rose is about to go down the aisle, then it's only me and the best man before you, and your dad is already waiting for you. I bet Alya Césaire wouldn't want to be late for her grand entrance, now, would she?"

She only got a weak giggle as an answer, but that was more than fine for Marinette. Her friend was a bundle of nerves at the moment. She had worked herself up since the second she woke up that morning about everything that could possibly go wrong on her big day: from Nino getting cold feet to the cake being the wrong color. Marinette had assure her of everything, from an emergency call to the groom to reminding her that her parents had everything under control. But Marinette knew Alya was worrying for nothing: Nino and she were simply meant to be through ups and downs, thick and thin, for better or for worse.

As both girls made their way down the hall hand in hand, the very proud maid of honor softly nudged the glowing bride. "Say, you never ended up telling me who Nino finally settled on to be his best man? Please tell me he didn't really choose Ivan after all, I'll look like a tiny, little bug next to him."

Alya suddenly shifted oddly, uneasiness obvious on her face. "Umm, Mari, about that, there's something I need to—" only to get cut by a man's voice. "Mari! Alya! Boy, don't you you both look stunning!"

Marinette stopped dead in her tracks right then, causing Alya to almost run into her.

Turned out Marinette would have recognized the best man anywhere.

In a sea full of people, she'd easily be able to pick out those grassy green eyes that had haunted her for so long.

Truth be told, the years really had treated him well. The lines of his face were more defined, the roundness of his childhood long gone along his cheeks and his now chiseled jaw. His shoulders were definitely broader, and he now stood almost a head taller than her. He was wearing a light gray cotton button up under a very deep dark gray suit perfectly cut for him. The silver and fashionable cufflinks contrasted prettily with the dark fabric of his suit, a clever detail worthy of the model.

But what caught Marinette's eye above everything else, making her breath hitch in her throat, was his tie.

A silky, hot pink tie.

The exact same shade of her dress.

A dress that nobody besides Alya and her had seen before that exact second. Given how little time they had had to prepare the wedding, there hadn't been an exact colour shade assigned to the bridesmaids. Alya had deemed any shade of pink adequate, so the dresses of the others ranged from baby pink to fuschia.

To match her dress so perfectly, Adrien's tie had obviously been supplied by her treacherous best friend so they'd match as they went down the aisle together.

Marinette forced herself to breathe so she wouldn't pass out on the spot. All the feelings she had tried so hard to keep bottled up and forgotten somewhere deep down her currently malfunctioning brain came back, washing over her all at once. Not even five feet from her was standing Adrien Agreste, looking handsome as hell, and he was smiling at her.

"Hey Mari, long time no see!"

When Marinette didn't react, he shifted his attention to the lady of the hour, placing a peck on each cheek while grinning widely. "Wow Alya, Nino won't know what hit him. You truly are gorgeous."

The bride chuckled softly, blushing a little. "Thanks, Adrien, it means the world to me and Nino that you made it back on time."

"I wouldn't have missed this even if it meant swimming my way up the Seine," the blond smiled back.

Marinette barely registered the words exchanged between them. She was desperately trying to kick her mind gears back into function. Somehow, somewhere in her shocked state, she faintly noticed the doors opening to let the last bridesmaid in. Adrien offered her his arm a few seconds later with a warm smile intended for her and her only. She had had five years to get over him, why was she still getting so flustered over such a simple touch?

She didn't find the answer as she let Adrien lead her down the aisle, trying with all her might to stop her whirling thoughts from assaulting her already wounded heart.

The ceremony went by smoothly, even though Marinette never fully reconnected with with her surrounding. She was hyper-aware of Adrien's proximity, and it was driving her utterly insane. She clapped along with everyone else when the minister finally declared Nino and Alya husband and wife, and absentmindedly followed the newlyweds to the reception. She ate her meal, smiled, and made small talk with the other guests, gushing about how the newlyweds were perfect for each other.

When the time came, Marinette somehow managed to give her well-rehearsed maid of honor speech, explaining in great lengths just how much Nino had managed to wiggle his way in both Alya and her lives, dragging his best friend along and making their friendship a quartet. Adrien then stepped in, underlining how much Alya had been a good influence on Nino, helping him improve his grades to widen his options in university, and helping him to open doors with his music.

Truth be told, the whole wedding was absolutely perfect, living up to Alya's wildest hopes and dreams.

However, Marinette was barely able to keep herself together.

She felt shallow, an empty shell since seeing Adrien again. She had been so sure that she didn't have feeling for him anymore, so certain that her days of pining over the kind model were over. But the way her heart had made a somersault in her chest after barely laying eyes on him said otherwise. It was too much. Everything was changing, the last week had been a whirlwind of emotions and life-changing events, and now, seeing a man that had the power to easily break her already shattered heart again was her undoing.

Alya kept casting worried glances at her over the crowd of guests, but Marinette didn't acknowledge them.

Wandering aimlessly through the guests, Marinette clutched her glass of champagne like a lifeline, replacing her empty glass with a full one whenever she passed by a server. The bubbles soothed her in an odd and unfamiliar way, even as she knew she was probably drinking way too much. Warmth pooled into her stomach as she leaned back against a wall, trying to steady the room dancing around her.

Why did Adrien still have that kind of effect on her? After all these years?

It was unfair to be vulnerable like this, for him to have this kind of power over her without even knowing it. A single smile, and she was head over heels like a hormonal teenager. She tried her best to avoid looking at the devilishly handsome blond unknowingly turning her into an emotional wreck.

The blurrier her thoughts got, the less distraught she felt, so Marinette welcomed the buzz by raising another glass to it, drowning her memories in champagne.

That's how she ended up colliding with a masculine chest and looking up to familiar worried eyes. "Hey Mari, are you okay?"

She giggled, "Y-y-yeah! Why? Jus-s-t another drink and I'll be… fine."

The man before her frowned. "Okay you've clearly had enough," he said, plucking the glass from her hand despite her slurred protests, "I'm driving you home."

Marinette didn't have the strength to argue or fight back. She wanted nothing more but to bury herself in the covers and never come back out. She willingly let the man lead her to an unfamiliar car without bothering to say goodbye to anyone.

This was all Alya's fault. If she had known Adrien would be there, maybe she could have braced herself about seeing him again.

...who was she kidding. It was all her own fault. Her and her treacherous, weak heart.

She curled up on the front seat, knees under her chin, resting her forehead against the cool window.

She woke up lost and disoriented when her improvised designated driver gently shook her shoulder. "Sorry Mari, I would have preferred to carry you upstairs without waking you up, but I don't have the key anymore. Besides, I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Marinette rubbed her eye, she must have fallen asleep on the way over. She tried to recall why she hated him, and when she didn't find a reason, she just mumbled unintelligibly. "S's's'okay Nate… Thanks."

She made her way to the front door on wobbly legs, fumbled to unlock it, and tripped over her own feet as she stumbled along the hallway to her apartment and finally dropped on her couch. Her bed seemed so far away, she couldn't summon the will to drag her sorry ass into it.

She groaned, suddenly feeling even more miserable than she had before. She had deserted Alya's wedding, drunk out of her mind. Then she had let Nathanael of all people drive her home. And most of all, she had let herself get flustered by the mere sight of a man she hadn't seen in years. A man that most likely hadn't spent a single second thinking about her in the last five years.

Her fingers felt completely useless. She tried to pull her phone from her clutch but she had trouble coordinating her movements. After a few minutes, Marinette finally managed to get her phone out of her purse and successfully unlocked it with unsteady hands. She hesitated for a second, still feeling like a pathetic mess, before typing out a text.

Marinette groaned loudly and let her head fall back on her couch. She clutched at her hair and wished that her surroundings would stop spinning around her.


	8. Chapter 8: Backfire

Adrien was enjoying the reception and reconnecting with his highschool friends when he spotted Nathanael and Marinette exiting the reception room together from across the room.

He shifted in his chair, no longer listening to Kim and painfully willed himself to not to move. He should trust Marinette's judgment, despite his own very strong opinion on the matter. But he couldn't rid himself of the dread weighing in his gut. His feet itched to follow them, to protect her, to make sure no harm would come to her, but Adrien bit his lip and resisted. The last thing he wanted to do was to upset Marinette. She was twenty-two. She could take care of herself just fine. And she was mature enough to stay wary of her jackass of an ex.

He had no right to meddle in her personal life after his five-year-long absence.

Adrien spent the next twenty minutes or so halfheartedly listening to Ivan talking about his son's misadventures (Can you believe he actually had the nerve to go around telling all his classmates and teachers that he was the son of The Hulk and that I would go berserk on them if they bothered him too much at school? I wanted the ground to swallow me whole at that parent-teacher conference!) and Max's progress on the new videogame he was currently working on (We're aiming for a brand new kind of puzzle-based RPG. The player won't have any kind of weapon on hand, instead, he'll have to analyze the contents of each room and use whatever he finds in them to defeat each boss, protecting his secret identity all along. So far beta testers are 87% satisfied and we're ecstatic about the feedback we've gotten.) while trying not to focus on his concern for Marinette.

Years of half-listening to his father's guests during events finally paid off as Adrien listened politely and hid just how much his mind was wandering elsewhere. He managed to flawlessly entertain a few of the wedding guests without offending anyone, his eyes darting every now and then towards the door. He didn't want to be a bad guest at his best friend's wedding, but in the meantime, he was desperately worried about Marinette.

At long last, he spotted Nathanael strolling back into the reception on his own, with Marinette nowhere in sight. His fists tightening by his sides, Adrien's previous resolve not to interfere with their business completely shattered. Barely keeping the overwhelming feeling of dread in his stomach in check, Adrien politely excused himself from Alix and Kim's playful banter about who really won the last silly bet between the couple and headed toward Nathanael with determined strides.

He paused a second before briskly tapping on Nathanael's shoulder, barely reminding himself in time to put on his best, and fakest, model smile. "Hey, Nate. Where has Marinette wandered off to?" His eyes flicked over the party as if looking for the girl. "I thought I saw her leave the room with you earlier and I was kinda hoping to catch up a little with her tonight."

The artist frowned, fists clenching at his sides. "She wasn't feeling well so I drove her home," he responded flatly, anger fueling his words.

Adrien visibly deflated, not even trying to hide his frustration and his disappointment. "Ah well, I guess I'll have to do all the catching up tomorrow morning at the office then," he casually answered before forcing himself to turn his back on the redhead, trying with all his might to remain at the very least civil toward him. He scanned the crowd quickly, trying to spot either Nino, Alya, or anybody that could provide him with Marinette's number so he could check to see if she truly was as alright as Nathanael was implying she was.

However before he could even take a single step toward his best friend, the artist's voice stopped him dead in his tracks, cold as an iceberg. "Agreste."

Instantly spinning on his heels, Adrien faced his old classmate again. "Kurtzberg," he answered, raising a questioning eyebrow. Whatever Nathanael wanted with him, he was barking up the wrong tree.

"Stay away from Mari."

The words hit Adrien like a freight train. His fist clenched at his side and he had to summon all his will to answer evenly, trying his best not to cause a scene at his best friend's wedding. "Seeing as of tomorrow we'll be working daily in the same office in a ten-foot radius from each other, I don't quite see how I could."

The redhead snarled, all pretense of civility long gone by that point. "STAY. AWAY. FROM. HER."

Adrien's fists tightened with raw anger. After all he had done to her, after all he'd put her through, how dare Nathanael threaten him? When he answered, Adrien's voice couldn't have been colder even if he tried. "You have absolutely no claim on her. She's twenty-two. She's free to do whatever she wants with her free time, even if it involves spending it with me whether you like it or not."

"STAY. AWAY. FROM. MARI. You're only gonna hurt her, you selfish, spoiled brat!"

It was more than he could take. Adrien's blood boiled over, his fists balled up even tighter, his knuckles whitening painfully, and his grassy green eyes darkened a few shades further. "At least I'm not some pathetic jerk who tried to force himself on her."

Years of fencing at a competitive level had taught many things to Adrien, ranging from a very strict discipline to being thoroughly skilled at reading body language. The latter came in handy at that very second, as he managed effortlessly to gracefully dodge the punch flying towards his face.

His previous resolve to keep a fight from tainting Alya and Nino's big day at all costs was long forgotten as his own fist instantly cut through the air, colliding hard with Nathanael's jaw. The redhead stumbled back under the impact and fell back on the tiled floor. Holding his jaw with one hand, he stared at Adrien in disbelief for a split second. He obviously had never expected the polite and always composed cover model to actually retaliate. Ivan and Kim grabbed Nathanael by the elbows, dragging him kicking and screaming out of the reception room without further ceremony.

Alya and Nino were the first to break the awkward silence that had fallen on the reception. "Where's Marinette?" Alya hissed, worry seeping from her words.

Adrien sighed, massaging his knuckles. "I saw her leave with Nathanael earlier, but when I asked him where she had gone, he snapped at me. He told me that he had driven her home and that I should stay away from her. It kinda went downhill after that. I'm really, really sorry for making a scene," the blond sighed.

Alya didn't answer him, instead she pulled out her cell phone and dialed her best friend's number with shaky fingers. She frowned at her phone and dialed again. Her features fell. "She isn't picking up her phone…" She turned towards her new husband, resolve coloring her features, "Nino, we have to go and check on her! What if that piece of scum tried something again?"

The groom checked his watch, but frowned. "We're supposed to catch the train to Italy in about twenty minutes, we don't have enough time to swing by her place, and it's the last train until morning. I know you're worried but, she's probably just asleep and..." Nino cut himself off, shaking his head, "What do you want to do?"

"I can't leave her—" Alya began, only to be cut off by Adrien.

"Just give me her address and I'll check up on her. Go on with your honeymoon you two,and I'll text Nino to let you know what's going on and if she needs you, you can come back first thing tomorrow morning."

The brunette eyed him critically for a minute, visibly trying to weigh the pros and the cons of the current situation. "You better let me know everything that's going on. If she wipes her ass I want to know about it, got it, Agreste?"

Fingers shaking with emotion, Alya quickly jotted down Marinette's address on a clean napkin before handing it to Adrien, along with a single key she deposited carefully in his open palm, closing his fingers over it.

"If she has enough alcohol in her system to let Nathanael within twenty feet of her, she's probably passed out on the couch, snoring so loudly she won't even hear the doorbell. Let yourself in to check in on her, but don't do anything I wouldn't do," she said, eyes wet, but determined.

Adrien smiled reassuringly to the brunette. "Don't worry about it. Enjoy your well-deserved honeymoon. I'll take care of Marinette while you're away. I'll text you as soon as I make sure she's alright."

The newlyweds hugged him close, emotion palpable between them.

"Thanks, Adrien. It... It's completely my fault. Nino tried to tell me it was stupid, but I wanted the old gang together, for the sake of good times, you know? I shouldn't have invited Nathanael and Sabrina, to begin with. I should've known it would backfire so badly." Alya whispered, hot tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

"You were only trying to do what you thought was right, Alya. You wanted the whole old class to celebrate your big day, no one can blame you for trying."

The bride looked intently at her feet and wiped at her eyes. "But still. Inviting the guy who tried to rape my best friend was way more than insensitive of me. Me and my stupid, stubborn brain. It's a wonder Marinette doesn't hate me."

"Nobody hates you,"Nino chimed in, stroking reassuring small circles in his new wife's lower back with his thumb. "It's already been four years, babe. We all thought it was way behind us. Mari herself assured us over and over again that she was totally over it and that it was okay. She's okay and Adrien's going to check in on her just to make sure."

Adrien smiled softly, carefully adding her key to his own set. "I'll take care of her, don't worry. This is your honeymoon, a once in a lifetime trip for both of you. Enjoy it one hundred percent., I'll hold down the fort, okay?"

Alya eyed the best man for a minute, for the first time seeing why Marinette was always so enamored with him.

It was crystal clear he genuinely and deeply cared about Marinette.

So, despite being fully aware Marinette was going to murder her once she'd sobered up enough to understand everything that happened, Alya smiled warmly to Adrien, softly squeezing his hand around the napkin. "Don't forget to text Nino. I'm worried as fuck about her right now."

Adrien smiled weakly. He was beside himself with worry; he couldn't imagine what it was for Alya. She and Marinette were obviously closer than ever. "Don't worry about it. Now go, and try to have fun. Your train is leaving in twenty minutes. I'll check on Marinette deal with the cleanup here. See you in two weeks?"

Nino grinned at Adrien widely, pulling him into a bear crushing hug. "See you in two weeks man. And remember, don't leave Madame Lahiffe hanging. That wouldn't be smart."

Adrien put his car keys back in his pocket, chuckling softly. "On it. Somehow I'd like to survive long enough to hear about your honeymoon. And try not to worry, Alya, I'll be at Marinette's place in fifteen minutes top. I'll make sure she gets into her bed safely and to leave her some water and aspirin."

A very grateful Alya hugged him warmly. "Thanks, Adrien. Thank you so much. I couldn't live with myself knowing she's hurt because of me."

"Neither could I, but don't worry, it's no one's fault." Adrien reassured her. His smile fell as they left the room, "Except mine," he whispered to himself, "I could've stopped them when they left the room."


	9. Chapter 9: Secrets (UNEDITED)

_**A/N: Well, according to plan this chapter was supposed to be from Marinette POV (if you have not noticed yet, I'm alternating between their POV in every chapter :P). However, it just didn't felt right, so here, enjoy a little more of my sweet little Adrien.**_

As he made his way toward his car, Adrien dearly blessed the habit he had made of staying away from any type of alcohol in every social apparition he made. A clear mind was more often than not needed to steer himself away from unwanted attention from media or unwillingly letting slip too much personal information to nosy reporters, and through the years the habit had become so deeply rooted in him that it had only felt natural for him to keep the same barely touched champagne glass all night. And now, as he slipped behind the steering wheel of his car with all his brain fully functional, he was really glad he had. He pulled out his phone to enter Marinette's address into his GPS application, only to notice he had a few missed messages:  
 _[Ladybug] Call me._  
 _[Ladybug] Ccamn u plz call me &?_  
 _[Ladybug] Can*_  
Adrien went still for a second. Never before his Lady had manifested any interest on talking to him any other way than via sms. And never had she made that many typos in a five words long message.

It worried him to great lengths, but he couldn't shake off the gut clenching worries he felt toward his old high school friend at the same time. Hesitating, in typed in Marinette's address into the GPS application, checking the arrival time estimation. He had about twelve minutes ahead of him before reaching her place. His pianist fingers slid on the small screen, connecting the device to the Bluetooth system of his car, and hesitated a second or two before pressing the small green button next to Ladybug contact's information. It rang for a few seconds without her picking up, and he was about to disconnect the call when he heard a muffled sound on the other side of the line, followed by a soft:  
 _"Hello?"_  
He smiled softly to himself, putting his car into motion.  
"Hey there princess. Are you alright?"  
A soft giggle came to his ears, making him smile even wider:  
 _"Your voice is warm and sexy kitty. I like it."_  
Taken aback by her sluggish voice and the direction the conversation had taken, Adrien stuttered:  
"P-p-princess? Are you okay?"  
She hummed lightly before breathing quietly:  
 _"I'm just… feeling lonely tonight. Very lonely. I-I just wanted to hear a friendly voice. I'm sorry."_

Adrien knew what he _wanted_ to answer to that statement. That he wanted nothing more than to be a part of her life, to hold her in his arms and make sure neither of them ever felt lonely anymore. But he knew better than to pressure her, perfectly aware it would only cancel the little progress they had made that night: he was _talking_ to her, hearing her actual voice without the security net provided by texting each other. They didn't have time to think about what they said, rewriting the same message three or four times before sending it. It was unnerving and yet exhilarating. Not wanting to blow this up, he went with a safe reply:  
"Don't be sorry princess. I'm always there for you, you know that. It's pretty late though, what's keeping you up?"  
He heard a long sigh and some ruffling, as she was shifting in her bed or something. Then she spoke again, her voice definitely sluggish and drowsy:  
 _"I ran into some… old acquaintances tonight… and it made me realize I wasted my life away…"_  
As he followed the GPS directions from one ear, Adrien couldn't help but shake his head:  
"Don't say that. You just graduated, you landed the job of your dreams, you have some awesome friends, including the nosy best friend and your knight in shining armor. Your life has just begun princess."

Something broke in her voice, and he was sure he heard sniffling.  
 _"I'm sick of coming home to emptiness. Sometimes I wish I was less of a lame coward and could come home to you…"_  
Adrien audibly gasped at that statement, but the young woman went on with her tirade, her words coming out more and more indolent:  
 _"But noooooooooo… I have to be this broken and insecure poor thing that can't will herself to come out of the safety of hiding behind her phone…"_  
The young man wondered what could have happened to put her in such a state of mind, but she didn't let him question it out loud, pursuing even more sluggishly than before:  
 _"Y'know, when I get lonely like that… I often wonder… What my life would have been if I had chosen another path? It would have been about three years old by now."_  
"Princess? Are you drunk or something?"  
 _"Maybe it would have red hair and blue eyes. Would it have been a boy or a girl? Would it have been an artist? And then I realize I won't ever know, because I made a decision with my fucking brain, a decision my heart never fully agreed on."_

Adrien's heart began beating furiously in his chest, his throat suddenly feeling tight and dry. He was perfectly aware she was rambling, that she was letting him on secrets she probably hadn't intended to share with him in the first place. His train of thoughts was disrupted by heavy breathing on the other side of the line:  
"Princess? My lady?"  
Seeing as he never got an actual answer, he figured she must have drifted off to sleep, and reluctantly disconnected the call. He wasn't sure exactly what had just happened, but he pushed those questions at the back of his mind, pulling up in front of Marinette's building and shifting his attention back on his old friend.

Apparently, tonight was going to be all about distraught young ladies.

Just as Alya had figured, he rang the doorbell twice without getting any answer. Wincing a little at the thought he may be witnessing something he decently shouldn't, he pulled out the key the bride had entrusted him with and quietly let himself in the young woman's apartment. Adrien then found himself in a dim-lighted cosy living room fully furnished, with a huge dark leather couch covered with thick fuzzy blankets. A pink armchair was in the corner of the room, overlooked by a reading lamp, currently the only source of lighting. A decent sized flat-screen TV was hung on the opposite wall of the couch, framed with all sorts of books and video games.

And curled up in a fetal position on the couch, her hot pink dress making a stunning contrast on the dark leather, safely clutching her phone in her right hand, was sleeping soundly a clearly upset Marinette. She looked like a little girl, sleeping hunched on herself like that, and that strongly strung a protective chord in him. Adrien wanted nothing more than to comfort her, washing away her worries and protect her from further harm. Her makeup had smudged and left dark streaks on her cheeks making it obvious she had been crying, and loose strands had fallen out of her bun. His heart heavy with concern toward one of his oldest friends, Adrien carefully kneeled besides her, patting her arm reassuringly:  
"Hey Mari, let's get you to bed, okay?"  
She stirred up a little, opening her eyes lazily, softly breathing:  
"Adrien…"  
"You're home safe. Alya sent me to check on you. I'm going to clean your face, help you change into something comfortable and then put you to bed okay?"  
She nodded hazily, barely reacting as he removed her shoes before scooping her up bridal style.  
"Where's your bedroom?"  
Locking her arms snugly around his neck, she rested her head against his shoulder.  
"At the back, just after the bathroom."

He marveled at how calm and trusting she was in his arms, wondering if she was aware the slightest of what was currently happening. Considering her past, he had been fully expecting her to shy away from his touch in a way or another. And yet there she was, her slender arms safely locked around his neck, eyes fully closed as she let him carry her through her apartment. She didn't question what he was doing there, why he was there. She clearly trusted him, entirely, and that unsettled him. He had done nothing to be worthy of such a level of trust from his blackette friend, and he promised himself to never do anything that would make her regret it.

He unmade her bed with one hand before carefully deposited her on it. Retreating back to her bathroom, he scanned her toiletry products, silently thanking his modeling years as he knew exactly what it was he needed. Grabbing her makeup remover and some cotton wads, he went back to a drowsy Marinette.  
"I'm going to clean your face, okay Mari?"  
She nodded sleepily, humming softly in agreement. With steady hands, he dabbed the cotton wads into the cleansing product and carefully erased the smudged makeup from her features. She visibly leaned into his touch, the ghost of a smile dancing on her lips.  
"S'nice. Thanks."  
Once he was done with removing her makeup, the blond helped her to a sitting position.  
"Do you need help getting out of your dress? I can fetch pajamas for you if you want."  
"Third drawer of the dresser. Please."  
Nodding, Adrien got up and opened the indicated drawer, pulling out an oversize cotton t-shirt. When he came back to her side, he noticed she was struggling with the zipper of her dress.  
"Allow me?" he asked tentatively, surprised to see her breathe quietly:  
"Please."

He made his best to avert his eyes as he helped her out of the chiffon garment and into the t-shirt. He could imagine sleeping with a bra on wouldn't be the most comfortable thing to do, but he had cross so many boundaries that night that he decided against pushing his luck even further. So he simply helped her lay back down on her bed, tucking her in tightly and resisted the urge to kiss her forehead. Marinette looked so fragile, so vulnerable as she laid there half asleep, looking at him through heavy lidded eyes. He couldn't fathom how one could want to hurt such an innocent creature.

When he got up to leave though, she whispered faintly, stopping him dead in his tracks:  
"Stay. Until I've fallen asleep. Please."  
By that point, it was clear Adrien couldn't refuse her anything. So he sat on the floor besides Marinette's bed, gently stroking the dark strands of hair until her breathing became deep and steady, indicating without mistake she had fallen back into a deep slumber. He left her a tall glass of water on her bedside table along with some aspirin to take care of the impending hangover, and retreated halfheartedly.

Had Adrien wandered into her kitchen before leaving, locking the door back behind him, he might have noticed the ginger ball of fur sleeping soundly into the kitchen sink and that looked eerily just like the picture of Tikki Ladybug had sent him earlier that week.

Had Adrien sent his goodnight message to Ladybug not even thirty seconds before he did, he might have heard Marinette's phone chime in response from the couch where it laid forgotten.

But he did neither.


	10. Chapter 10: Partners (UNEDITED)

_**I'm currently actively procrastinating chapter 29 on Both of you because I'm facing the worst case of writer's block on it, and instead I'm writing this fic way more faster than I should. This chapter is barely nothing besides fluff (okay, no, I'm totally lying. It wraps up nicely the first third of the story) but it's definitely a feel-good chapter for me. I needed it tonight. I spent the first half of the evening writing a really, really hard chapter (that you'll read later) and I got tired of weeping on my keyboard. So here it comes!**_

* * *

Marinette woke up the next morning to a pounding headache. Stirring painfully in her half asleep state, she tried to recall the events of the nights before. The way her heart had treacherously jumped out of her chest at the mere sight of Adrien Agreste was the first that came back to mind. The remaining of the wedding was kind of blurry, as she had very evidently exaggerated on the champagne. She cursed herself as she remembered climbing willingly into Nathanael's car despite her gut screaming at her to run as far away from him as humanly possible. Frowning, she dug into her drunken memories further. A phone call? Blurry sentences whispered in her ear as she was rambling. Definitely a phone call. She'd have to check her call history to find out whom she should apologize to for her inappropriate behavior on the night before. The young woman truly wished it was Alya. Or even Nino.

She opened her eyes slowly, waiting for the daylight to hurt the hell out of her. She really should finish the curtains she intended to hang in her living room, for every morning she woke up on her couch she regretted them. To her surprise, she found herself in a pleasant semi-darkness, the curtains of her room having been pulled closed carefully. Wait a second. She didn't recall ever making her way to her bed. In fact, she fully remembered deciding it was way too far away to attempt the journey to it. Her confused gaze fell on her bedside table, where a glass of water and two aspirin tablets were waiting for her, the former labeled "Drink me" with a scrap of paper while the pills were resting on a loose sheet with an arrow pointing to them. A neat handwriting had added "Eat me" at the other end of the arrow. She smiled to herself, quickly scanning the rest of the note:  
 _"Hope you're feeling better Mari, see you at the office tomorrow. Don't worry about caffeine, it's my treat._  
 _Sleep tight,_  
 _Adrien"_

Oh.

Oh.

Adrien. Right. Adrien had been there last night. Carrying her to her bedroom. Soothing her as he cleaned her face. Getting her out of her dress and into her pajamas. Adrien had seen her passed out from too much alcohol and too much emotions in the same night.

So why wasn't she feeling utterly mortified by the whole encounter?

Sure, she'd make a point to apologize to him when she'd see him again, and thank him for the way he had taken good care of her, but that was it. No feeling of dread, no anxiety rising in her chest, no breath shortening…  
" _Odd._ " she thought. Marinette spotted Tikki strolling casually toward her and took a minute to cuddle the kitten a little:  
"Hey there. Guess your mama's a little less scared of Adrien once the shock of seeing him standing in front of her when he was supposed to be on the other side of France has worn off, what do you think?"

The kitten mewled loudly, clearly demanding her breakfast, which made Marinette giggled as she got out of her bed.

The aspirin was quick to alleviate her headache, and the prospect of her very first day at Agreste plastered a grin on her face. Sure, she was practically assured to bump with Adrien a few times a week in the corridors, but it'd give her time to get used to his renewed proximity, and maybe even consider a friendship with him again.

Humming quietly to herself, she fed Tikki and went back to her room to get dressed for the day. Grabbing her phone on her way back, she noticed two sms from Chat Noir, one from the night before, and one from about fifteen minutes ago:  
 _[Chat Noir] Sweet dream princess._  
 _[Chat Noir] Good luck on your first day m'lady! Knock'em down their feet!_  
Chuckling, she typed back a quick answer before heading under the shower:  
 _[Ladybug] You do realize you just suggested to your utter klutz of a friend to knock her new boss off his feet?_

Twenty minutes later, she was on her way to Agreste's offices, wearing blacks skinny jeans with a cheong-sam styled tunic sewn into a deep red satin fabric with black lace fabric. She had hesitated between her faithful and professional kitten heels that never failed to make her feel confident, but in the end decided against it. After all, she had absolutely no idea of the tasks that were going to be entrusted to her that day, so she went for assured comfort in shining black leather ballerinas. Who knew if she'd have to clean up some storage, run errands for picky designers or be on coffee duty? Internships were rarely glamour, and Marinette didn't want to lure herself into thinking she would have it easy.

It's with that mindset that she reached her new place of work with a few minutes to spare, climbing the front stairs of the building at the same time Adrien did. He was wearing black suit pants along with a light green button up and a black tie. He had rolled the sleeves slightly under the elbows, and looked just as handsome as he had the night before. He waved happily to her, visibly coming from the underground parking next to the building.  
"Hey Mari! Good morning!"  
The young woman smiled back warmly, waiting for him to catch up with her. Gone was the overwhelming feeling from the night before, leaving place to a pleasant warmth in her chest.  
"Hey Adrien."  
 _[Chat Noir] In that case I'll make sure to watch the news tonight._  
He handed her a fuming cup, grinning from ear to ear:  
"Here, you still like lattes, right?"  
Stunned, Marinette looked up from the hot beverage:  
"You remember that?"  
The young man chuckled, offering her his arm for the rest of the way:  
"Well I never had many friends, and always had a thing for details, so…"

Reaching the top of the stairs, Marinette pulled out her phone from her purse, checking the email she had received for the hundredth time:  
"Ok, so I'm supposed to meet with the person I'm going to shadow here. Do you know who this might be? Is it some kind of mean harpy? Do I have to brace myself for a catfight?"  
 _[Ladybug] Your faith in me truly reaches new heights today._  
His laugh was mesmerizing:  
"Well I sure hope not!"  
She frowned when she noticed he was clearly laughing at her expense:  
"Do you know something I don't Adrien?"  
"Apparently, yes. You ain't going to shadow anyone."  
Dumbfounded, the blackette only managed to look at him quizzically, at loss for words. He tugged on her hand, leading her toward the elevators.  
"Come on Mari, we have to meet with my father in about five minutes. You wouldn't want to be late for your very first meeting with Gabriel Agreste, would you?"  
Shaking up the confusion at what was exactly unfolding before her, Marinette followed him without further questioning as she sipped on her latte.

* * *

Gabriel Agreste was a tall, lean and impressive man. His presence alone in the room granted it some sort of tranquil authority. So when, after the official presentations had been made and a little small talk on her capacities, her work experience and her goals along the company, Gabriel asked her casually:  
"So, how do you feel about launching a brand new collection with Adrien?" Marinette couldn't help but choke on the gulp of latte she had just taken:  
"I'm sorry, what?"  
Adrien smiled even wider than he had been before, and she resisted the urge to hit him:  
"I believe she hadn't gotten the memo, father."  
"Well then, miss Dupain-Cheng, your internship among my company will basically consist of designing and launching a whole collection aimed toward teenagers, hand in hand with my son. This is a test for both of you."  
Marinette swore there was absolutely no way either of them couldn't hear her heart thumping wildly in her rib cage.  
"I expect nothing less than excellence from you, miss Dupain-Cheng. I have seen your designs, and you are more than capable from succeeding in what I'm asking from you. I want a teenage line fashionable yet suited for everyday lifestyle."  
"I understand."  
The man shifted his attention to his son:  
"As for you, Adrien, this is the perfect occasion for you to put everything I taught you to good use, and prove to me that you're ready to take over a little more responsibilities in the family business."  
"Yes father."  
The older man waved them off with was she could've sworn was an attempt at smiling:  
"You both are dismissed. The sooner you'll get to work, the sooner you'll get results to show me."

As soon as the door to his father's office was closed, Adrien tugged on her hand impatiently, eyes shining:  
"Come on, I'll show you our office and workroom, you'll like it."  
"Eager, aren't we?" she laughed softly. He instantly looked like a little boy caught red-handed in the cookie jar:  
"I'm a little excited, I guess. This is truly the most interesting thing I've had to do here ever since I've been thirteen. Sorry about that."  
She chuckled:  
"Don't be. I could have gotten a way worst boss than you, I should be grateful if anything."  
"Tut-tut-tut. I'm not your boss. We're in this together. You heard him. Hand in hand."

She stared at him, bewildered:  
"Come on, Adrien. Be real, you're the son of the CEO of this company. You're by every definition my boss from now on."  
The blond shook his head:  
"No-can-do. Your friend? Okay. Your teammate? Sure. Your boss? Wouldn't dream about it. Anyway, I can't do this without you even if I would like. I don't know a single thing about design. My skills are more on the management side of the whole thing. Coordinating everything, budgeting, that boring things…"  
"That I know nothing about."  
He smiled:  
"Voila! You get the idea. So will you agree I'm not your boss?"  
"Adrien, there's no way we're equals in this."  
"And yet, we are. Partners?"  
She sighed, knowing she had lost the argument.  
"Very well, partner."  
 _[Ladybug] I'm having the strangest morning ever._  
"So, will you show me that incredible office of ours?"  
 _[Chat Noir] Mine's been really good so far. Making old friends._

Adrien gestured for her to follow him to the elevator once again and she happily obliged. How could she wallow in the events of the night before when Adrien Agreste was acting like a little boy on Christmas Eve just thinking he was going to get a little bit of independence from his father?  
 _[Ladybug] You're weird._  
 _[Chat Noir] You love me anyway._  
This was all very, very good after all. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be offered to launch a collection as an intern, and Marinette wouldn't dream to pass on it for anything in the world. And if it had the bonus advantage of a mended friendship with Adrien, who was she to say no to that?  
 _[Ladybug] Whatever helps you sleep at night kitty._

God dearly bless the silent mode on her phone, otherwise Adrien might quickly get offended by the amount of incoming sms she received in one day…


	11. Chapter 11: Firsts (UNEDITED)

Adrien stilled before a heavy wooden door and hesitated a second. He had yet to see the final result, and was suddenly feeling really nervous about Marinette's reaction. He had tried really hard to make their office a room where she could enjoy herself and look forward to work into, but seeing as they had drifted apart in the previous five years, he had second thoughts. What if her tastes had changed drastically as of lately? What if he had been horribly mistaken? Bracing himself for the worst, he pushed the door opened and shyly motioned for her to enter the room.

Their office ended up living up to his expectations, and way beyond them. The first half of the room was tastefully furnished with a large square glass table adorned with two rather modern computers facing each other, complete with touch screen, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Adrien smiled fondly when Marinette squealed in delight as she noticed that her side of the table had been equipped with a very nice quality and decent sized graphic tablet, while his side had a very complicated accountant calculator laying besides his keyboard. Two really large leather and very comfortable looking office chairs were sitting on each side of the table. One wall was entirely covered with cork board for them to pin ideas and documents to it, while another had been turned into an immense white board just waiting for them to doodle whatever came to their mind on it.

A huge filing cabinet was occupying a forgotten corner of the room while the other displayed the biggest and nicest drawing table Marinette had ever seen in her life. A few sewing dummies were scattered in the other half of the room, along with two professional sewing machines, a cutting table and a wall worth of cupboard brimful of fabrics and sewing supplies of all sorts. A huge and comfortable couch was facing a flat-screen TV, fully equipped with the latest video games. A few thick and fluffy blankets were laying on the couch, almost calling for them to sleep in them.

However, what stood out the most though was definitely the color scheme he had picked out. The curtains framing the gigantic window providing them with a breathtaking view of Paris were a deep Caribbean blue, just as were the blankets discarded on the couch. The sewing dummies were hot pink, as were the sewing machines and the fabric of the couch. The walls that weren't covered with cork board or whiteboard had been painted a lighter shade of blue than the curtains were. Every accessory all over the office was variations of those two colors: bright pink and island blue.

Marinette raised a questioning eyebrow to Adrien, who only shrugged meekly in answer:  
"They might have or might have not asked me for what you would need on disposal in order to work your magic."  
She sighed, pinching the brim of her nose:  
"Adrien, I don't _need_ all of this. I'm used to designing in sketchbooks and sew on my kitchen table, remember?"  
The young man sat in his office chair, sustaining her gaze:  
"You don't _need_ it, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't _have_ it."  
"But-"  
"I really want this to work out, Mari." Adrien cut her quickly. "This is a golden opportunity for me to gain a little bit of freedom with my career, and for you to finally get more than well deserved recognition for your amazing talent. I want to give us every possible chance of succeeding, even if it means spoiling you a little along the way."

He watched her deflating, visibly taken aback by the unexpected turn her internship had taken.  
"Adrien, I'm supposed to be learning the ropes from someone with experience, do ungrateful tasks such as fetching coffee and shredding papers, start at the very bottom of the ladder like everyone else. It doesn't feel right to get a preferential treatment only because I'm your friend."  
The blond's smile widened significantly:  
"Being my friend is definitely not what landed you here. My father's has been very impressed by your portfolio, along with me and the four other judges that chose you as their first choice. Father didn't want to spoil your talent on a meaningless internship that would only delay you from shining into the spotlight. Judging the quality of your work, he deemed you more than ready for the real thing. If we make this work, he'll more than likely offer you a permanent designer position on a silver platter. You _deserve_ this, Mari."

Adrien saw with great delight a blush spread on his friend's cheeks at the very well earned praise. He took the opportunity to dig further:  
"So, do you like our shared office? It really matters to me, since we'll be spending most of our time here in the few next weeks, maybe longer  
if everything works out according to plan."  
Her eyes were shining as she looked back at him.  
"It's gorgeous, to be honest. I really love those colors."  
"The interior design team asked me for both our favorite colors. I believe I didn't go wrong in assuming yours was pink?"  
She smiled warmly at him:  
"Nah. You really hit bulls eye actually. I'm surprised though, I always thought yours was green?"  
The blond gave her a wide toothy grin:  
"Nope. I just wear a lot of the thing because it apparently nicely brings out my eyes, but I always liked blue better. It has always been a soothing color to me."

He watched silently, really pleased with himself, as Marinette hung her purse on the coat hanger and walked toward the whiteboard, picking up a pink marker. She turned to him, marker in one hand, hips tilted sideways, a weird smile that he'd labeled as coy if he hadn't known her better on her lips:  
"So. Let's get to work then. Seeing as you have had _way_ more time than me to think about this whole ordeal, do you have any ideas?"  
Adrien suddenly seemed uneasy before her, and that thought alone unsettled her:  
"Actually, seeing as I've spent most of the last two weeks putting our office together, I didn't think very much about what my father expect from us."  
A light scowl appeared on Marinette's features, and it looked so adorable on her he had to refrain himself to point it out.  
"Come on Adrien, you made it clear both our careers are on the line, right?"  
He let out a soft chortle, straightening himself in his chair:  
"You're right Mari, sorry. To be perfectly honest with you, my teenage years weren't really that memorable. I can't come with anything good apart from the fact that teenage years is a good era for firsts."  
She toyed with the idea a little, feeling it was a good place to start.  
"You're actually quite right about that."

The designer turned her back on him, examining the whiteboard intently. After a minute or two of intense reflexion, she uncapped the marker and wrote _"Firsts"_ in bold, round letters, underlining it a few times.  
"I like it." she breathed softly. Perking up, Adrien chimed in:  
"I do too, but first what?"  
"Jobs?" Marinette tried, staring intently at the whiteboard as if it held the secret of the universe. Adrien considered the idea for a minute or two, before saying softly:  
"Yeah, but what can we even design about that? Job uniforms won't be that much fashionable."  
The blackette sighed:  
"You're right, actually. First loves then?"  
"Same problem. You can inspire yourself from love to create outfits, but how can you differentiate love from first love? It's too abstract of a concept to work out for a teenage line."  
Adrien watched, none the wiser, as her shoulders suddenly tensed. She spinned on her heels, eyes glistening with a whole new light, lips stretching into a full grin:  
"And how do we feel about first dates?"  
He straightened up, looking at her intently:  
"First dates?"  
A toothy grin spread on her features:  
"There's so much we can feed on from that. Movie night, coffee date, arcade games, ice skating… It's like an infinite pool of inspiration."

Adrien's smile fell at that. If they went that way, he was in the complete dark.  
"You may be right about that."  
Being the amazing girl she was, Marinette instantly picked up on his sudden mood change:  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yeah. Don't worry. So, we're doing first dates inspired outfits?"  
She crossed her arms on her chest, and at that precise moment he knew he was screwed.  
"Don't try to mess with me, Agreste. What's on your mind?"  
He smiled faintly:  
"Well, I haven't been on that many dates so far, to be honest. So I'm afraid I'm barely even what you could call a rookie on the matter."  
He caught Marinette's incredulous gaze just before she settled on staring at her shoes.  
"What do you mean, Adrien? You must have already dated an awful lot of fan girls."  
He retaliated almost instantly:  
"What you're trying to imply really hurts me. But no. I have yet to see a date blossom into a second one. I guess I'm just that picky, sorry to shatter the opinion you obviously already had of me on that topic."  
Blushing, Marinette uttered weakly:  
"I didn't mean to…"  
"So, first date, huh? Where do we start?"  
And with that, they were launched.


	12. Chapter 12: Seven dates (UNEDITED)

**_A/N This chapter got a little bit out of hand, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out where to break it in two parts... So you're in for a treat! The longest chapter I've ever came up with, both fics considered. (and it wasn't even on the original outline... even if I LOVE it now it's out there.)_**

* * *

 _[Chat Noir] Are we going to talk about what happened Sunday night?_  
 _[Ladybug] I really, really want to forget that night._  
 _[Chat Noir] Alright then. If you change your mind I'm here._  
 _[Ladybug] I know, silly kitty. You're always there, that's what I love most of you._  
On Tuesday morning, when Adrien opened the door to their joint office, he blinked a few times, closed the door, took a second to compose himself and opened it back again.  
"Marinette? What the hell is happening here?"  
The young designer was tucking back her phone in her purse, a slick black leather minuscule purse hung on her shoulder by a fine strand of shiny leather. She was wearing her black kitten heels that made her pale and smooth legs look longer. She was clad in a navy blue halter dress with baby pink ribbons around her waist and along the hem that fell just below her knees. Pink tulle peeked from under the dress. A light matching shawl was spread out on her shoulders. She had tied her black hair into a cute french braid, and her makeup was very natural, barely noticeable. Standing besides their work table, she was holding a picnic basket in one hand, and examining some sort of list in the other.  
"Good morning Adrien!"  
He entered the room, looking unsure on how to interpret all this. True, if she looked at herself, Marinette was way overdressed for an ordinary day at the office, and Agreste had a cafeteria available for the employees, so there was no need to bring meals to work. His confusion was understandable:  
"Mari? Did I miss a memo or something?"

Her smile widened, still a little bit unsure about her plan:  
"Actually, I'm taking you on a date. On seven dates, to be exact."  
Adrien stared at her, seemingly at loss for words:  
"But… Why?"  
She giggled:  
"Well you made it quite clear yesterday that despite my cruel assumptions toward you, you're inexperienced in the dating field. If you really want to launch a first dates themed collection, we have to fix that."  
He smirked:  
"So it's all work and no fun then?"  
Marinette blushed slightly, her previous confidence faltering:  
"No. I wanted to make it up to you for wrongly assuming you were a serial-dater, but I also happen to need to thank you for taking so much good care of me on Sunday. I'm really not proud of myself, of how badly I reacted when I felt overwhelmed, and I truly wish you never had to see me in that state of weakness… But I'm really grateful for what you did."  
This time, Adrien truly was speechless. She sustained his incredulous gaze for a minute or two, before breaking the silence:  
"So, Adrien, can I take you on seven dates today?"  
Snapping back to reality, the blond smiled back at her:  
"A little ambitious aren't we? But yes, I'll gladly go with you."

Beaming, Marinette pulled out her list, complete with addresses, estimated walk time between destinations and so on.  
"I'm gonna leave the picnic basket here, I made time to retrieve it before the picnic date."  
"God Mari, you planned it to the minute."  
She nodded happily:  
"Yup, I did. Now, remember this is supposed to be _teen_ first dates, right?"  
Adrien looked at her quizzically:  
"Yeah, what about it?"  
"Well, she laughed, normal teenagers don't go on dates in suit and tie."  
"Do you want me to head home and change?" he offered.  
Closing the distance between them, Marinette loosened the knot of his tie, pulling it over his head.  
"Nah, we'll work with what we have. Remove your jacket please."  
"If I'd known I was going to undress in front of you today, I would have put on way nicer underwear." Adrien snorted with a nervous laugh.

Marinette stilled like a deer in headlight in front of him, her hands still on his tie, prompting him to instantly dissolving into apologies when he realized what he had just done:  
"Oh my god, Mari, I'm so sorry, I'm an idiot. This was so insensitive of me and-"  
She put a finger on his lips, cutting him:  
"Adrien, don't. You took me by surprise, that's all. You're not usually that forward with me."  
"But still, I-"  
"But nothing. I'd like it very much if everyone could stop watching what they say around me like I'm about to to have a mental breakdown at any given time. It's been _four_ years, Adrien. I'm okay. Really."  
He raised a skeptical eyebrow, crossing his arms in front of him:  
"You weren't that okay Sunday night."  
"Sunday was too much of everything, Marinette sighed, my best friend was getting married, nobody bothered to mention to me you were back in town so I was shocked to see you, I had a very long and very stressful week… The encounter with Nathanael was just the icing to the cake. In normal circumstances, I would have been just fine."  
She could tell he didn't believe her, but out of all the people she knew, she truly didn't want _him_ to treat her differently because of what had happened.

After what felt like an eternity, Adrien sighed and removed his jacket, shaking his head.  
"So. No tie, no jacket. Any other layer I should shed?"  
She smiled, the awkward tension between them slowly dissolving:  
"Are you wearing anything under your shirt?"  
"A black undershirt, why?"  
Marinette took a few steps back:  
"Okay, so take your shirt out of your pants, and undo the top two or three buttons."  
He did as instructed, and the young woman found herself facing a quite handsome man, wearing black business shoes with plain black suit pants. His light green shirt had been pulled out of his pants, and the undone buttons were letting show the black fabric underneath. Extending a hand, Marinette ruffled his perfectly styled hair a little, making it look a bit messy.  
"Voila, Adrien Agreste, perfect modern teenager, she grinned. Now come on, we're going to miss the boat."

The first date Marinette had planned for them was actually a little boat ride down the Seine, something Adrien had seen many people do through the years but never tried for himself. They chatted quietly as the professionally discrete employee maneuvering the little boat made them glide seamlessly down the river. They caught up about the previous years, what they both had been up too, and the young lady couldn't help but revel in just how right it felt to be there, sitting besides him talking and laughing like they didn't have a care in the world. She provided him with a few shameful anecdotes about Nino and Alya that he promised her to put to good use the next time their friends meddled a little too much in either of their lives.

The spell that encapsulated them in a private cocoon was soon broken tough, as the boat ride came to an end. Thanking warmly the man that had driven them down the Seine, Marinette tipped him generously before heading back to Adrien, who seemed ticked off about something:  
"Hey, aren't I supposed to pay if it's a date?"  
The young lady laughed, pulling out her planning:  
"Well, traditionally the man pays for everything. Nowadays though, many women take it upon themselves to split the bill and such. And today is my treat whether you like it or not. Remember I need to redeem myself for misjudging you?"  
Laughing, Adrien followed her as she led the way to a commercial building.

Entering the building, the blond breathed, utterly amused:  
"So I guess this is the cinema date?"  
Marinette looked back at him, uneasy all of a sudden:  
"Umh yeah… I may have cheated a little on this one."  
Adrien's kind eyes found hers, full of worries:  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, the blackette answered softly, on firsts dates the guy typically tries to impress the girl by treating her to some stupid romantic comedy… And I truly despise them so much I couldn't bring myself to spend a single penny on one. How do you feel about superhero movies?"  
Her partner face lighted up like a Christmas tree:  
"Are you kidding me? They're my favorite! What are we seeing?"  
Grinning, Marinette took the tickets out of her purse:  
"The latest _Vigilantes_ , have you seen it yet?"  
"No, Adrien replied, but I've been dying to. After you?"

Marinette reluctantly let him get them both over-greasy popcorn and sodas, only because it seemed to make him childishly happy, and they chose their seats eagerly, both genuinely impatient to see the movie. Somewhere halfway through, Marinette found her fingers intertwined with Adrien's on the shared armrest in a fashion that prevented him from painting it as strictly professional. And yet, he didn't seem care the slightest. Actually, her partner was completely absorbed in the movie, looking absolutely fascinated with the story. The young woman caught herself not so subtly staring at his relaxed features, only snapping out of it when he cast a glance sideways and smiled at her broadly.

All too soon, the movie was over, and they exited the cinema hand in hand. Again, Marinette was not so sure this could pass along as professional, but after all she was supposed to show him what dating was like. Since he had been the one to grab her hand in the theater lobby, he couldn't mind that much, right?  
"That movie was _awesome_! It's the best of the franchise yet, no doubt! I can't wait for the next one, do you think they're gonna expand on what happened to the villain at the end?" she heard the young man gushing excitedly as she led him to the next date, a faint smile painted on her lips.

When she pushed the glass door of a little nice cafe, Adrien's stomach growled loudly behind her. Laughing, the blackette spun on her heels to look at him:  
"I was going to ask if you were hungry, but I guess this answers that."  
He blushed lightly, and nodded shyly:  
"Yeah, I'm famished in fact."  
"But you just ate an entire bucket of popcorn not even thirty minutes ago!"  
"What can I say? I'm a growing boy."  
She laughed heartily as they sat at a small table near a wall completely covered in windows:  
"Adrien, you're twenty-two. I'm pretty sure you're done with growth spurts."  
"Nuh-uh. I'm a teenager today, remember?"

Marinette rolled her eyes and picked up her menu to hide the blush spreading - _again_ \- on her cheeks. It was clear Adrien was having the time of his life, and it warmed her heart to no extent. She always knew he had missed out on a big part of his youth, and being able to fix that - heck, fix that on their working hours nonetheless - made her really happy.  
"So, I thought we'd kill two birds with one stone here. Make it a lunch date _and_ a coffee date."  
He pouted, and she refrained herself from pointing out just how adorable he looked like that:  
"Does that mean there's only three dates left then?"  
The blackette stared at him in disbelief:  
"My, you're getting greedy Mr. Agreste! But don't worry, consider the coffee date a bonus one."  
"Well, excuse me for actually enjoying myself."

Their playful banter lasted all through the light meal they shared, Adrien all too eager to get a taste of Marinette's cheese-steak panini and offering her bites of his turkey sandwich in exchange. When they were done eating, the designer got up and made a quick stop to the bathroom before ordering two hot beverages.  
 _[Ladybug] How's your day so far kitty? You're awfully quiet, cat got your tongue?_  
 _[Chat Noir] Sorry, currently busy having a blast with an old friend, you?_  
 _[Ladybug] Revisiting my childhood._  
She handed him his drink, a white chocolate mocha, before taking a sip of her latte. Adrien tasted his before smiling broadly:  
"Hey! You remembered too!"  
Marinette stared at her drink intently:  
"Of course I did. So, ready for a stroll at the zoo?"

If the young lady had previously thought Adrien looked childishly upbeat on the first three dates, it was nothing compared to how ecstatic he was at the zoo, stopping at every single cage and commenting out loud just how great each and every animal was, offering her random facts about some of them, and trying to interact with the monkeys. Marinette laughed at his joyful antics, letting him happily reel her into his overwhelming enthusiasm. Stopping an ambulant vendor before she could even react, the young man bought them some bright pink cotton candy they shared as they argued playfully about which big cat was best, the black panther or the giant tiger.

Halfway through the afternoon, Marinette announced to a slightly annoyed Adrien that it was time to say goodbye to his new furry friends and head to the fifth date. His disappointment was short lived though, his good mood returning instantly as he noticed where his friend was leading him:  
"We're going to the video games' arcade?"  
She beamed at him, visibly pleased with herself:  
"Yup. I hope you're not a sore loser, Agreste."  
Marinette saw with delight her partner tense besides her, resolve pouring into the green irises:  
"Who says I'm going to lose?"  
"Try me."

As it turned out, Adrien was really good at every game they tried out, but Marinette kept winning over and over again by a few points. When he pointed out just how lucky she was, she frowned and crossed her arms on her chest:  
"There's no luck involved, this is purely skills, I'll have you know."  
"Come on Mari, you keep beating me by almost nothing."  
Marinette smiled, looking at the time on her phone.  
"It's because you put on a good fight, with a little training you'll probably be able to beat the master someday, young padawan."  
"No need to get so smug about it."  
She giggled, tugging on his arm:  
"Come on, Mr. Sore-Loser. Let's move on to the dinner part of today."

They walked back to Agreste's offices, still arguing about their respective video games skills. Once they reached the building, Adrien offered to fetch the basket in their office while Marinette waited for him outside.  
 _[Chat Noir] I know you don't wanna talk about it, but I'm crazy worried about you. You seemed pretty upset that night._  
 _[Ladybug] Don't worry about me silly kitty. I'm fine. Besides, bestie's away for a few days but she apparently enlisted me a babysitter while she's unavailable._  
 _[Chat Noir] Meaning?_  
 _[Ladybug] I have a friend looking after me. And you're still there :) I promise I'll text if I'm feeling blue again._  
 _[Chat Noir] Ok then. Gotta go, dinner time for the kitten._  
Upon the young man's return, Marinette smiled at him warmly:  
"Let's head to the park on the other side of the street."  
Following her, the blond asked softly:  
"When you mentioned dinner, I have to admit I figured an actual restaurant?"  
She scoffed:  
"We're teenagers today, remember? Teenagers don't wine and dine, that's way too expensive for someone with only a part-time job or living on allowances. Picnics are the real deal when you're short on money."

They found a quiet spot besides a huge tree providing a little shading from the late afternoon sun, and Marinette pulled a blanket from the basket, laying it on the ground. She then took out an assortment of cheeses, crackers, vegetables and a few other goods along with two plates. Digging in again, she pulled out a bottle of white wine and two glasses, smiling shyly at her friend raising an eyebrow at him:  
"That's kinda my second cheat of the day. Let's just agree our teenagers are closer to eighteen than twelve, okay? Can't in my right mind fully enjoy good cheese without wine."  
"I happen to completely agree with that statement. Here, let me help."  
She handed him the bottle and watched in silence as he filled their glasses. The wine was still chilled, thanks to the iced packs she had thought to put in the basket to preserve the cheese throughout the day.  
"I'd like to propose a toast." announced Adrien, holding his glass up. Smiling shyly, Marinette lifted hers, raising an eyebrow at him.  
"A toast?"  
"Yes, to an incredible day and an awesome friendship."  
Their glasses clinked together, and as she tasted the wine on her tongue, Marinette couldn't help but blush a little at his heartfelt praise.

They watched the sunset together, talking about their previous dating history.  
"I still can't believe that you went on only three real dates yet."  
"Yup, laughed Adrien, and none of them even lasted to the dessert. Girls that are only interested in my wallet or my status are easy to spot, and sadly it seems to be the only kind of girl I'm able to attract. What about you?"  
"I went on a few meaningless dates when I was a teenager, and then there was Nate. Complete void ever since."  
The blond raised an eyebrow as he watched her put the remnants of their meal back into the basket:  
"I don't remember you dating that much in high school."  
Marinette felt her cheeks blush bright red.  
"Ah! Uhm… it was mostly until fifteen, I kinda focused on design after that."  
If he noticed her shoulders tensed, or the "coincidence" that she stopped dating altogether the very same year he got to her school, he didn't mention it.

Eager to change the subject, she fumbled around in the basket and pulled out two sweaters, two sets of gloves and earmuffs. Taken aback, Adrien stuttered:  
"Marinette, you _do_ know we're in summer right now? And not anywhere close to the North Pole?"  
"Yup, but we're gonna need them for the last date of the day."  
She saw a shadow pass in her friend's gaze, but it was so faint and over so fast she thought she was imagining things. Shrugging it off, she got up and took the arm he offered her as she led him to an indoor skating rink.

The man besides her groaned audibly when he realized what she had planned for the evening:  
"Come on, you can't be serious Mari?"  
She grinned at him, tugging on his arm:  
"It's gonna be fun. What's your shoe size? Forty-four?"  
He sighed, defeated:  
"Forty-six. Mari, I haven't skated for at least six years, you're only doing that to make fun of me."  
Ignoring his pleas, the blackette rented two pairs of skates before turning back to him.  
"I'll remind you that between the two of us, I'm the hopeless klutz. Here, gigantic skates for your enormous feet."  
"Hey! I'm six feet three, what did you expect? If I had tiny little feet like you I'm not even sure I would be able to stand. My balance center would be all messed up."  
Laughing heartily, Marinette tucked their belongings into a rented locker, handing him the key for safe keeping since she didn't have any pockets. Both warmly bundled into their sweaters, they headed to the rink laughing and teasing each other.

They ended up skating almost two hours, Adrien actually truly enjoying himself. Turned out his body remembered the movements and it came back naturally. He even put on a show for Marinette, lifting her from the ground and spinning two or three times on himself. She squealed in fear when he did, but laughed and grinned openly at him when he deposited her back safely on the ice. At the end, both exhausted and out of breath, they headed back to the lockers, still bickering sweetly.

As they headed out of the building, Marinette felt Adrien take her hand into his, pulling her to a stop.  
"Is this the part where I walk you home?"  
She looked at him, confusion spreading on her face:  
"But Agreste's offices are in the opposite way, don't you have a car to retrieve?"  
"Nope, I'm a teenager, remember? I'm pretty sure teenagers don't have cars."  
Shaking her head, Marinette sighed:  
"Adrien, walking me home sounds really nice, but how are you going to get home afterwards? Or to work tomorrow morning? I'm fine, really, I'm just going to call a cab."  
"Not after all the trouble you went through to organize all this. I truly had a great time, so at least allow me to walk you home, please?"  
"There's nothing I can say to change your mind, huh?"  
"Nope." Adrien laughed, offering her his arms. She locked hers onto it, and they fell into a comfortable pace together, heading toward her apartment in a pleasant silence.

Once they reached her building, there was an awkward pause, Adrien staring at her, looking like he wanted to say something. Softly grabbing her hand, he whispered:  
"If all the romantic comedies I saw on planes are right, I believe a goodnight kiss is in order when the date went well, correct?"  
Her heart stuck somewhere between her chest and her mouth, Marinette only nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from his. Leaning in gently, the blond pressed his lips softly on her cheek, the gesture full of tenderness. Then Adrien hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear:  
"Goodnight Mari. Thank you very much for the day, I had the best of times."  
Flushing bright red, the young lady couldn't find her voice back. So she simply waved at him and entered the building, allowing the door she put between them to hide her breakdown.  
 _[Ladybug] I'm fucked kitty. Utterly and completely fucked._


	13. Chapter 13: Wishful thinking (UNEDITED)

As he walked away from Marinette's building, a spring in his step that definitely wasn't there before, Adrien felt beyond elated. He felt like he could take on the whole world all at once and not even bat an eyelash. The young man had truly enjoyed himself that single day more than he could recall having ever had in his twenty-two years of existence, and he owed it all to Marinette. Through their high school years, the pair had never been quite close and he had always regretted it. He always sensed her weirdly uncomfortable around him, though he had never figured out why, as she was acting kind and confident with everyone else in their class. Still, seeing as both their best friends were dating, they ended up spending a lot of time around each other whether they liked it or not, and she had quickly become one of his favorite persons in the world even if they didn't talk that much back then. He had always admired her selflessness, the obvious endless kindness of her heart, the passion she put in everything she touched. If he was to be perfectly honest with himself, he had to admit the unexplained awkwardness between them had always stung his heart a little. He had never managed to pinpoint what in the world he could have done to her to make her dislike him. She couldn't still be mad about the chewing gum incident, could she? His departure to the other side of France had sealed the fate of their stuttering friendship, along with his well-known reluctance to come back in Paris if he could avoid it.

True, getting himself free from his father clutches had come with the price of many severed friendships, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it. At twenty-two, Adrien Agreste finally had a say in his future, was managing his own schedule and wasn't driven around by a bodyguard anymore. The fact that he didn't regret the decisions he had made to gain himself a little freedom, however, didn't mean that he wasn't missing his old friends, and being offered the chance to rekindle things with Marinette after all this wasted time, and even getting to really know her this time around truly meant the world to him. All the time he was away Nino often talked about his girls, praising Marinette's progresses as an aspirant designer, Alya's reporting gigs, periodically sending him pictures of the three of them grinning at the camera, giving him little updates on their lives, actually making him feel like he was there all along with them, the fourth member of their little private squad unbeknownst to them.

The perfect day he just had spent with her made him feel like they just had made up for all that lost time by her side.

Happily humming to himself as he got back to his car, Adrien turned up the volume of the radio, singing along the old Jagged Stone song that blared out of the speakers. His good mood lasted until he finally got home, fed an upset and lonely Plagg and heavily dropped himself onto his couch eagerly pulling out his phone from his pocket with every intention to tell his lady all about his perfect day:  
 _[Ladybug] I'm fucked kitty. Utterly and completely fucked.  
_ His breath suddenly hitched in his throat. She had assured him time and time again throughout the day that she was fine. Had it been all for the show? Running his hand through his hair nervously, he quickly typed back:  
 _[Chat Noir] Hey princess, sorry for the late answer, I was driving. Are you alright?_  
 _[Ladybug] I thought I was. I'm stupid. Don't even bother about me. Gonna find some hole to hide in for the eternity._  
 _[Chat Noir] What happened?_

As Adrien waited for her answer, he got up and pushed the button of his coffeemaker. He would regret tomorrow drinking coffee so late in the evening, but he had to do something with his hands or else he'll just go crazy.  
 _[Ladybug] Ah… you'll need some explanation to understand what's really going on._  
 _[Chat Noir] Explain then. I have all night._  
Putting a cup under the coffeemaker and pushing a pod into the feeder, he absorbed himself into the contemplation of the brown liquid infusing.  
 _[Ladybug] Silly loyal kitty :P I don't though, I'm working tomorrow. Waking up on time may prove to be difficult by this point, though._  
 _[Ladybug] So, I fell hopelessly and desperately in love with a fellow classmate when I was young and stupid. Spent years pining after him and not even being able to form coherent sentences around him._  
 _[Chat Noir] Awkward._  
 _[Ladybug] You tell me. Poor guy probably thought I was totally nuts and hopeless._

Adrien didn't like the direction their conversation had taken. He had a gut-clenching feeling he wouldn't like the slightest what she was going to tell him next.  
 _[Ladybug] Anyway, once high school was done with, I never saw him again. Had news once in a while from mutual friends, but not much._  
 _[Ladybug] With time I managed to convinced myself I was way past my silly crush on him. Even dated someone else (didn't get my happy ending, but still)._  
The blond put his phone on the kitchen counter for a minute, pouring sugar and milk into his mug. He sighed, taking the little device back, and exiting his living room onto his small balcony, reveling in the nice weather of the late evening.  
 _[Chat Noir] Let me guess, you ran into him today?_  
The answer was quick:  
 _[Ladybug] Worst._  
 _[Ladybug] He's my brand new boss.  
_ _[Ladybug] Fresh out of the crate.  
_ Despite his better judgment he chuckled inwardly:  
 _[Chat Noir] The one I advised you to knock off his feet?  
_ _[Ladybug] Yeah. :(  
_ _[Ladybug] Apparently it's gonna be the other way around…_

Adrien took a sip of his caffeinated drug, unsuccessfully trying to soothe the feeling of dread clenching his stomach. What was his problem, anyway? He didn't have any sort of claim on her. He didn't even know her first name, for God's sake!  
 _[Chat Noir] How so?_  
 _[Ladybug] I'm not nearly as over him as I thought I was._  
There it was, the heartbreaking statement he had been hoping he'd never receive. Shaking his head, Arien tried to put his selfish and interfering thoughts in check. She wasn't his, he reminded himself. Never had been. He had absolutely no right to feel as crushed and betrayed as he felt right then.  
 _[Chat Noir] How are you feeling?_  
 _[Ladybug] Confused. And scared._  
The young man frowned at his digital screen briefly. His own feelings pushed aside, who was the man that dared make his sweet princess feel worthless like this?  
 _[Chat Noir] I don't get it. You said you're tired of being alone the other day._  
 _[Ladybug] I am, Chaton. I really am. But I'm not too eager to put my heart out in the open to be tampered with, you know?_

Plagg ventured out on the tiny balcony, and Adrien briefly wondered if the cat was dumb enough to jump down six stories. But the grumpy feline only smelled his way around for a second or two before retreating to his safe haven inside the flat. The blond could tell his furry friend wasn't adjusting too well to the moving, and Adrien felt sorry for his protege.  
 _[Chat Noir] I think I get it. A close friend of mine have been hurt pretty badly, and she hasn't dated anyone ever since. I guess she's scared too._  
 _[Ladybug] Probably._  
 _[Ladybug] It's just..._  
 _[Ladybug] He NEVER looked at me that way. Thinking things could change 7 years later is only wishful thinking if you ask me.  
_ Now, Adrien was just plain angry at the man dumb enough to overlook a girl sweet and caring, funny and witty, curious and passionate as his lady was.  
 _[Chat Noir] Well that's his loss princess. On a side note, we're a few days closer to 35!_  
 _[Ladybug] Silly kitty._  
 _[Ladybug] I told you, you're too sweet to make it that far alone. Some girl gonna snatch your heart away before you even know it._  
Now, that's something he'd like to see. Retreating inside his apartment he patted Plagg absentmindedly before heading to his bedroom. He undressed with heavy movements, suddenly reminding the tie incident with Marinette, which made him cringe shamefully.  
 _"Dumbest move of the year Agreste, good job, really."_  
He didn't even know why he had said something like that. Her proximity, along with what she was asking from him had made him inexplicably nervous. And yet, she hadn't been offended, only slightly surprised. Was there an end to the kindness of this girl?  
 _[Ladybug] I think I'm going to switch careers and go into research instead._  
 _[Chat Noir] Huh?_

The thought that Marinette would probably get along with his princess briefly brushed his mind. Now that would be something, the two women he cared the most about being friends with each other.

And then realization hit him. Hard. In barely even three days, Marinette had unknowingly managed to sneak her way into his heart. He truly cared about her deeply, and he probably wouldn't need that much of a nudge to fall in love with her if it weren't for his princess. Adrien had always wished to be his friend, but now he wanted way more out of their relationship. He wanted them to be best friends, nothing less, and to spend days like today with her over and over again. He wanted to see her happy and relaxed like she had been that day every single day of their lives.  
 _[Ladybug] Think about it._  
 _[Ladybug] If I invent an off button for feelings, I'm gonna be deliriously rich._  
 _[Chat Noir] Why would you want to do such a thing?_  
 _[Ladybug] BRB_

Adrien waited a few minutes, imagining wild scenarios as he checked his phone every now and then for an answer. Maybe her boss had finally come to his senses and was on her doorstep, confessing his everlasting love to her. Maybe she was the one currently declaring her flame, going all in and throwing useless caution to the wind. About ten minutes later, he heard the tell-tale chime again:  
 _[Ladybug] Sorry._  
 _[Ladybug] YOUR daughter managed to entangle herself into a ball of yarn that was neatly put away in a CLOSED cupboard._  
He chuckled loudly at that.  
 _[Chat Noir] Right, when she misbehaves suddenly she's MY daughter. That's how our parenting is gonna work princess?_  
 _[Chat Noir] Did you snap a picture?_  
 _[Ladybug] … I did._  
 _[Ladybug]_ has sent you a picture.  
His laugh was so genuine, so sudden that he scared Plagg out of the room. The little ginger ball of fur was tied up like a veal, paws up, and totally covered in black yarn.

Yawning, he stretched himself. He had had a very long day, after all, even if it had been mostly a good one:  
 _[Chat Noir] Thanks for the laugh. I needed that._  
 _[Ladybug] Oh. Did you have a bad day kitty? :(_  
 _[Ladybug] Sorry we just talked about me 2night :(_  
The young man didn't want to lie about his incredible day with Marinette, it felt like betraying her and the efforts she had put into it. But he wasn't too eager to admit to his lady that she was the cause he was feeling a bit down.  
 _[Chat Noir] My day has really been_ paw _some, thank you very much. But I'm always in for a laugh, you know that.  
[Chat Noir] Heading to bed now princess. I'm exhausted._  
 _[Chat Noir] You gonna be ok?_  
 _[Ladybug] I am now. Thank you, kitty._  
 _[Ladybug] For everything._

* * *

 _ **Anyone remember the scene where Adrien insist he's NOT Mari's boss?**_


	14. Chapter 14: Absence (UNEDITED)

Wednesday was a catastrophe.

As she had feared she would when she went to bed the night before, Marinette woke up almost an hour late. To top it off, she was feeling a bit under the weather but still managed to pull her sorry ass out of bed. Racing through her flat to dress and get ready for work, she passed on eating anything and quickly tied her hair in a simple ponytail. Her kitten heels were nowhere in sight, so she had to fall back on wearing ballerinas. Her skinny washed jeans weren't something she would normally wear to work, but it was one of the only clean clothes she had on hand. Throwing a loose knitted light blue sweater over a black cami, she bolted through the door, her stomach loudly protesting as she locked the door behind her.

As the designer hurried down the streets, she realized she was already really late on the schedule she and Adrien had agreed on, and had absolutely no means to warn her partner about her current whereabouts. They didn't have an office phone in their office yet, and she knew for a fact that the young man _never_ checked his business email. He had confessed he didn't even remember the password to it and had to get the I.T. guy to reset it once in a while, only to forget it again a week later. Torn between her reluctance to bother Nino on his honeymoon and her need to let Adrien know she was on her way, she toyed with her dilemma a bit as she waited for her turn to cross the street.

She finally made up her mind, figuring her friends wouldn't mind a single text asking for Adrien's cell phone number. She pulled out her phone from her purse at the exact moment a passerby unwittingly knocked her elbow, sending the little device flying on the pavement, where it was quickly shattered to pieces by a few passing cars. Groaning in defeat, Marinette didn't stop to listen to the string of apologies aimed at her. A lump in her throat, she resumed her mad race to Agreste's office, finally reaching her office forty-five minutes late, disheveled, hungry, caffeine-deprived, feverish and way beyond annoyed.

Surprisingly, she found herself alone in their workspace. Setting her purse on the hook, she went straight to the drawing table, fully intending to make up for the time she had missed. Checking the preliminary sketches Adrien and she had agreed on for reference, she began drawing furiously, ignoring the hunger stabbing her stomach and the beads of cold sweat running on the back of her neck.

She only snapped out of her trance when a steaming coffee mug and a turkey sandwich were deposited beside her elbow. Looking up, Marinette found herself staring into Adrien's worried gaze:  
"What's that for?"  
"You've been so absorbed in your drawing that you never even noticed when I showed up, two hours ago. I don't know how much time you've been hunched over that design, but a break is long overdue," he answered softly, smiling. The blackette stretched her sore fingers, grabbing the offered lunch as she got up:  
"Thanks. I definitely need the caffeine boost."  
"I thought so. Not to be rude, but you look terrible Mari. Are you okay?"

She let out a long sigh before taking a sip of her latte:  
"Overslept, came in almost an hour late and I have a bad case of migraine threatening to break out at any given time. I'll manage, though."  
Her partner smiled softly:  
"Mari, I know we agreed on a specific schedule, but we don't have to stick to it no matter what. You don't have to stress yourself about that, you can play with working hours as you want. As long as you meet the minimum requirement at the end of the week we're good."  
She groaned:  
"We still agreed to meet here at nine o'clock, and I failed."  
He answered by a sheepish smile of his own:  
"Sorry about coming in late myself, by the way, I got stuck in a boring meeting with administration. They spent two hours trying to agree on whether or not we should switch the brand of the paper towels in the cafeteria."  
"Poor you. Stuck deciding on so much more important matters, how do you even sleep at night?"

Chuckling, Adrien went back at his own cluttered desk, making it obvious he had been working for some time already. Bemused by her own obliviousness, Marinette took a bite of her sandwich very welcomed by her upset stomach. Smiling to herself, she suddenly thought that Chat Noir would get a good laugh at her expense once she'd tell him about her disastrous day.

 _Chat_.

Almost choking on her sandwich and earning herself a curious glance from her coworker, Marinette gasped. She was left with absolutely no way of contacting her kitty. She hadn't even bothered picking up the shattered pieces of her phone, knowing fairly well it was broken way beyond repair. Sure, she had gotten a replacement insurance on the little thing since her legendary clumsiness shortened extensively the lifespan of fragile things like that in her possession. It would take the company a few days to ship her a replacement phone, but it wouldn't cost her anything.

But she didn't have Chat Noir's contact information anymore. They died at the same time her phone did, crushed under a car's tire. Horrified, Marinette tried in vain to remember what digit she had misplaced in Alya's number, but she had since learned to use the contact function of her phone correctly and wasn't even sure anymore of what it was to begin with.

Letting her head fall hard on her drawing table, she let out a long desperate sigh, not even bothering answering Adrien's worried inquiries about her obviously now full blown migraine.

There was no way things could get worse from there.

* * *

Thursday proved her to be wrong.

Sitting at her drawing table, her back ostensibly turned on Adrien, Marinette couldn't help but painfully feel the thick and uncomfortable atmosphere in the room as she worked on her ongoing designs. Her partner was remaining desperately silent, sighing heavily from time to time without any real cause, answering to her questions and her prompts by monosyllables or even mere grunts on an occasion or two.

The young lady escaped their office as soon as the clock ticked on noon, not even bothering to offer her partner to come along or bring him back something. He was clearly brooding about something and didn't have any intention of sharing it with her. Marinette took her time eating a light lunch at a nearby coffee, reluctantly heading back to their office when she was done. Thankfully though, Adrien was nowhere in sight and the young designer actually managed to finish the designs she had been working on. When she saw the sun was about to set, she packed her things and headed home, hoping the next day would bring her the Adrien she had been happy to work with.

* * *

Friday morning, Adrien showed up almost two hours late. He looked terrible, with purple bags under his eyes, obviously sporting a bad case of bed head. His tie knot was all wrong, and the tie itself was a sorry mismatch with his shirt. The blond kept checking his phone almost compulsively and still failed to greet her in an appropriate way or even acknowledge her presence unless he was obligated to.

As the day went by, Marinette grew increasingly annoyed at his poor and unprofessional attitude. Whatever it was that was bothering him, he was clearly letting it take the best of him, and it pissed her off. She had her own worries to manage and _she_ wasn't making him suffer because of it. She had yet to hear from her mobile phone company, and each passing day made her sincerely worry she wouldn't be able to get in touch with her dear kitty ever again. She missed him dearly, and she really felt her days were empty without his reliable presence. And yet, she wasn't lashing out at anyone, let alone letting it affect her work.

She really tried to keep her cool for the sake of their partnership. To ignore his cold facade and obvious pain. However, Adrien crossed a line when the blackette asked him about his opinion on a fabric choice and the blond only shrugged and answered dryly:  
"Bite me."  
At that, Marinette snapped. Hands slamming on the glass table, she stood up:  
"Fuck that, I'm out. If you can't act like a fucking grown up and leave your goddamn problems at home, this won't work."  
Apparently suddenly connecting with reality, Adrien stuttered:  
"Ma-mari, d-don't-"  
Snarling in anger by that point, Marinette grabbed her purse and opened the door:  
"You know what? You can shove your fucking internship up your stuck up bratty ass, Adrien. I did nothing to deserve being treated that way."

Without any more words exchanged between them, she slammed the door behind her and headed straight back home without ever looking back at him.

* * *

Marinette spent her whole weekend regretting Alya's absence. Had she been there, her best friend would've knock some sense into her blurry mind. Alya would've help her figure out why she was so angry toward Adrien, would've help her get over the fact they inexplicably went from best friends to strangers in not even twenty-four hours.

But her best friend was on her honeymoon, and there was no way Marinette was going to disturb her with her little shenanigans.

On Monday, she would try to get another internship. On Monday, she would hopefully receive her new phone, and _hopefully_ be able to talk to Chat Noir again, if he hadn't given up on her already.

But for the time being, she allowed herself to wallow in self-pity and regret every single decision she had ever made.


	15. Chapter 15: Fragile (UNEDITED)

Monday was the sixth day without a single text from Ladybug.

It was also the fourth since Marinette had stormed out of their office slamming the door behind her, leaving Adrien on his own to feel like a complete jerk.

Of course, she had been completely right. He had been so wrapped into his wild worries for his virtual friend that he treated poor Marinette rather unfairly. To be honest, a huge part of him wanted to chase after her the second she had walked out the door, apologize and make it up to her right away. But her very unlike her sudden burst of anger had startled him, making him freeze in his chair until she was long gone. He instead reluctantly set on letting her cool down in peace over the weekend, fully expecting her to show up understandably still upset with him, but maybe willing to listen to his apologies with a little luck.

But as the hours ticked by without her freckles coming through the door, it became more and more clear that she wasn't going to come to work.

At all.

As the clock struck noon, Adrien sighed in defeat and retrieved his jacket. He wasn't getting any work done anyway, his thoughts rambling at full speed. There was way too much on his mind to bother with numbers, statistics and probabilities. Screw the price/quality rate of Italian manufactured satin, he had more pressing matters to handle for the time being. The blond tried to keep his growing anxiety in check as he reached his car in the underground parking and scrolled up the data history of his GPS. Selecting Marinette's address he put the car into motion, he willed himself to stop thinking about Ladybug's sudden disappearance and focus on patching things up with Marinette.

He was worried sick about his SMS correspondent, as she had never gone MIA for more than twenty-four hours at a time without forewarning. The fact that she disappeared the same week she almost drunk dialed him and found out her new boss was her long lost love seemed too big of a coincidence to him, and it made an uneasy feeling pooling into his stomach. Could he have done something wrong to warrant that unexplained silence? Did he say anything too forward? Did she figure out who he was and was so disgusted by his identity she instead decided to vanish from his life without an explanation? Was she currently eloping with her boss, all memories of a SMS friendship long forgotten?

It made him painfully aware of just how fragile their relationship was. They fully depended on their phones to be in each other lives. Since his lady had been ignoring his text for the best part of the last week, he had no other means to reach her, to make sure she was okay. No address to show up at her place, no email to contact her in case something was wrong with her phone, not even a company or a place of work to quickly check on her. He didn't even have a name to look for. He had half a mind to hire someone to track her down with her phone number, or to go to every animal shelter in Paris asking if a young lady had adopted a ginger kitten in the last few weeks. But that would be disrespectful toward her and her desire to keep her identity to herself.

And if he was to be entirely honest with himself, all this secrecy was beginning to take its toll on him.

It was because of this nonsense he had jeopardized his friendship _and_ his work relation with Marinette. He loved his virtual princess dearly, but he was painfully conscious the weird dysfunctional one-way relationship they had built together wasn't going to bud into something more anytime soon. Although he was a very patient man more than willing to wait for the right girl to be the first and hopefully the last in his life, seeing a close friend hurt because of a strictly virtual relationship was way too much of a price to pay, no matter how much Ladybug meant to him.

As he drove toward his upset colleague's place, he tried to figure out what he could even say to Marinette to help his case. Truth be told, she had every right to be mad at him, and he wanted nothing more than going back to the way things were the previous Tuesday. He should never have let his worries cloud his judgment and badly taint his relationship with the young designer.

He pulled over in front of Marinette's building, still trying to reign in his emotions that were all over the place. For a moment, he wished Nino wasn't away on his honeymoon. His best friend would've helped him to sort his feelings out, would've suggested ways to redeem himself in Marinette's eyes. After all, he knew her way better than he did. Alya probably would've chewed his head out for carelessly hurting her best friend, but would've helped him out fix things between them in the end. Still, he couldn't bring himself to bother either of them on their honeymoon. He was on his own, and probably had only one shot to make things right. Should he fail, he'd have to explain to his father that his very promising intern had fled the premises because of his own son's incompetence and unprofessionalism. Definitely a task he wasn't looking forward too.

He stood in front of her door almost twenty minutes, staring at the wooden panel as he tried to summon enough courage to knock on it. When Adrien finally managed to will his hand to ball up and knock three dry hits on the door, he heard a heavy sigh followed by her soft voice announcing:  
"Coming!"  
Paper ruffling sounds came to his ears before the door loudly creaked open. Adrien found himself speechless as he took in the dreamy sight before him. Marinette was barefoot, clad in only black yoga pants and a pink tank top. Her hair had been tied up into a messy bun, her bluebell eyes widening in astonishment as she saw him standing on her doorstep.  
"Adrien? What are you doing here?"  
He ignored her question, instead analyzing the scene behind her. A few Manilas folders were laying open all over her living room, with copies of her portfolio carefully stacked beside her couch. Panic taking over him, he gestured to the mess in her apartment:  
"What were you doing?"

Marinette didn't answer right away. She carefully closed the door behind her, casually resting her back against it and crossing her arms over her chest. Her gaze on him was full of iciness, and her voice as she spoke was bland, deprived of any emotion:  
"I'm filling out internships applications. I asked you first: what are you doing here?"  
The young man scratched the back of his neck out of nervousness:  
"Well… you didn't show up for work today so…"  
The way Marinette raised her eyebrows as she looked him down made him feel like he was a three-year-old being scolded by his babysitter:  
"Why in the world would've I showed up at Agreste today? I quit on Friday, remember?"  
Adrien's mouth went dry as he scrambled to find a suitable answer:  
"Well I… Mari, I thought that… maybe… you would… change your mind?"  
She smirked, an expression that looked strangely out of place on her otherwise sweet face:  
"Explain me why I should change my mind, Adrien? You've been nothing but a real jerk to me for more than half of my first week in your father's company."

The blond felt himself blush to the roots:  
"You're right about that, and I'm sorry, okay? I've really been a huge idiot to you, and it was truly uncalled for, but I'm more than ready to make it up to you in any way you'd want me to."  
Adrien had never seen such a guarded expression on Marinette's features ever since he had met her. Even when she had thought he had put gum on her seat back in high school she hadn't looked that distrustful toward him.  
"Why should I even care?"  
Adrien sighed:  
"Come on, Mari. I'll do anything you want to make amends. It was wrong of me to take my emotions out on you and it won't happen ever again."  
Sneering, Marinette sustained the green gaze:  
"And?"  
Ignoring her foul mood, Adrien went on:  
"And, I would understand it you want nothing to do with me anymore. I can request my father to give you another project manager, move me to another building altogether if it helps. Just don't give up on your dreams because of me. I'm not anywhere worth it."

Marinette was still leaning on her door, her arms crossed defensively in front of her chest. Her Caribbean blue eyes were full of doubts:  
"Stop playing around, Adrien. I've quit. Find yourself another intern to bully around."  
The blond sighed:  
"I'm not playing any game, Mari. I wronged you badly only because I was too stupid to realize my poor mood was affecting you. Let me fix it. Please?"  
She didn't answer, sustaining his gaze which prompted him to push further:  
"I'll do whatever I need to patch things up between us. I'll treat you to lunch, to a fancy dinner, I'll bring you a nice latte every morning, please forgive me and come back, Mari?"  
Her silence was sheer torture to him. When she finally spoke, it was music to his ears:  
"Okay."

Adrien felt like an overwhelming weight just had been lifted from his shoulders. He grinned widely and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.  
"Thank you. Thank you so much. So, state your price?"  
Pulling back from him, Marinette's features softened and her lips twitched into a smirk:  
"I think I'll take all three suggestions…"  
His eyes glistened mischievously as he gasped loudly:  
"My, you're getting greedy miss Dupain-Cheng!"  
Her smile reached her bluebell eyes as it became obvious she had picked up on the friendly jab:  
"Well, excuse me for actually enjoying myself!"  
Recognizing the answer he had given her on their date-spree, Adrien knew that they were good, that she was willing to put the fight behind them.  
"Just to be clear, the blackette added, I'm agreeing on both the lunch and the dinner because I happen to enjoy your company when you're not busy sulking like an emo teenager. However, I'm coming back to Agreste only because you bribed me with caffeine, which is really low for you since you're aware of my level of addiction to the thing. And I don't want another project manager, Adrien. I'm either doing this with you or not at all."  
He sighed in relief, grinning so much his cheeks were beginning to hurt.  
"But, Marinette punctuated with a finger playfully poking his chest, you have to promise me that the next time something bothers you, you either talk about it or leave it in your car."

Adrien felt elated and sheepish at the same time, a weird combo of emotions he had never felt together before then.  
"I promise this won't ever again be a problem between us. Now, do you wanna change and put shoes on?"  
Startled, Marinette looked at him quizzically:  
"What? Why?"  
Chuckling, Adrien gestured to her feet:  
"Well, people might look at you funny if you walk into a restaurant barefooted. Not to mention I'm pretty sure it's against the dress code at Agreste."  
"You wanna go right now?"  
"Well, I'm hungry and I owe you a lunch, right? As well as a fancy dinner, but I'll have to make reservations for that one. Would Wednesday night be okay with you?"  
Her laugh made his heart twitch in his chest.  
"Alright then, I'll meet you downstairs. Give me five?"  
Adrien nodded at her and watched the young lady retreat back to her apartment. As he went back to his car waiting for her, he found himself thinking that being with a girl like Marinette would be so much easier and pleasant than entertaining unrealistic fantasies about a faceless woman. These thoughts took him by surprise, and he wasn't really sure about what prompted them.

Five minutes later though, as Marinette exited her building he couldn't help but stare at her as she strolled casually toward his car. She had traded the yoga pants for black capris and had thrown a short sleeved jean jacket over her pink tank top. Pink ballerinas in her feet, she smiled widely at him as she slid on the passenger seat.

At that precise moment, Adrien realized just _how much_ Marinette had a strong grip on his heart.


	16. Chapter 16: Budding frienship (UNEDITED)

Marinette giggled softly as Adrien almost squealed in delight when he took a bite of his salad. They were seated on the terrace of a small cafe, enjoying the nice weather of the summer afternoon. She could tell from the shadow lingering into his eyes that he still had something on his mind, but he was visibly trying actively to lighten the mood between them, which she was grateful for. Smiling broadly, the blond gestured to her and her untouched meal:  
"You really weren't going to come back? Playing hard to get miss Dupain-Cheng?"  
She could tell he regretted the words as soon as they were out, but Marinette knew fairly well they had to sort it out sooner or later for the sake of their budding friendship. After all, it takes two to tango, and Adrien hadn't been the only one in the wrong. The young woman took a second to organize her thoughts, before offering shyly as she stared intently at her hands resting in her lap:  
"I've been having second thoughts about quitting for the whole weekend, but I honestly thought it was already too late to fix this mess, at least professionally. After my dramatic exit on Friday, I didn't think I would be welcomed in any Agreste building anytime soon. You don't turn your back on Gabriel Agreste and walk away unscathed in this industry."  
Adrien's gaze softened:  
"Nobody knows. Temper tantrums are quite common in fashion, so a slammed door isn't something people pay attention to. I actually genuinely expected you to show up this morning and planned to sort things out with you then, so I didn't follow through with your… how did you put it again?"  
Smiling faintly, she repeated:  
"My dramatic exit."  
"Very well put Mari, couldn't describe it better even if I'd tried."

Looking up at him, she noted his blatant smirk. He was teasing her openly, and it warmed her heart to no extent. It had been a very close call but they had avoided the worst for their friendship _and_ partnership altogether, all thanks to Adrien who had been mature enough to swallow his pride and take the first steps toward her. It wasn't fair of her to let him take all the blame:  
"I know you feel guilty for what happened Friday, Adrien, but I'm liable too. True, your attitude last week hurt me, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I abandoned the ship without warning. I reacted childishly and bolted out instead of trying to talk things out like a grown woman should do."  
"I wouldn't have listened if you had tried to Mari, countered Adrien. I was… what was it? Busy sulking like an emo teenager?"  
He was grinning openly at her, his eyes glistening with mischief. Marinette knew it was his way of letting her know that he wasn't mad at her, and it made her feel even more guilty if anything:  
"Still, I'm sorry. I'm not that good at establishing new healthy relationships, as Nino probably briefed you on if he knew we were going to work together, knowing him. But I want this to work, and if the first half of last week has shown me the real you, then I really want us to be friends. I wanna get to know that Adrien, and learn to trust you like you deserve to be. I…"  
She trailed off, unsure of how much of her heart she was willing to bare in front of him yet. Looking at his kind green eyes, she remembered the way he had taken care of her on the night of the wedding, of how much comfortable she had felt in his company on their researching field trip the previous Tuesday. She decided to let him in a little further.  
"I missed you. I know it's silly, we've been friends and colleagues for barely a week, half of which we've both spent brooding, but I really did."  
"I did too, our office was awfully empty this morning, he answered quietly. I'm not used to working with someone that actually gives a damn about my mood, it might need time to adjust to a little."

Marinette offered him a sad smile. She knew Adrien had always been a loner and not by personal preferences. His father was an absent figure in his life, and the only close friend he had growing up was Nino. What a pair of socially handicapped beings they made together. That thought made her chuckle out loud, earning herself a raised eyebrow from her partner that was not so subtly trying to sneak out bites of her plate:  
"What? It's delicious and you're not eating at all!"  
The blackette shook her head, the remnants of her laugh spread on her lips:  
"It's not that, help yourself… It's just… look at us. Adrien Agreste, socially inept because he spent his whole life living like a recluse, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, complete freak-out package with severe trust issues and hopelessly plagued with an irrational fear of love."

Adrien suddenly frowned, fork halted mid-air, and she instantly regretted saying anything about their common flaw. Maybe it was a sore subject for him?  
"About that, Mari, have you spoke to anyone present at the wedding this past week?"  
Taken aback by the unforeseen change of subject, Marinette stared at him for a second.  
"I don't really talk to anyone apart from Alya or Nino, so no. Why?"  
The young man looked apprehensive all of a sudden, looking everywhere but in her eyes. Anxiety filled the young woman's stomach, breath abruptly hitching in her throat. Had she done something foolish and didn't remember? Did something awful happen? She tried to keep those feelings at bay, this was not a time for a panic attack, she didn't have her medication with her since she hadn't needed it for months. Probably sensing something in the air shift between them, the grassy green eyes finally found hers back, and the young man smiled at her reassuringly just as if he had picked up on the panic taking over her nerves:  
"I think you should know what happened after you left. I genuinely believe I made every man in the knowing present in the room _very_ jealous that night."  
Confusion filled Marinette's brain, blissfully successful in pushing the anxiety aside. Her silence seemed to prompt Adrien to go on:  
"You're right in assuming Nino told me about what Nathanael had the nerve to do to you. Last Sunday, when I asked him where you had vanished to, he asked me not very politely to stay away from you. When I declined, he tried to punch me…"  
The designer gasped at that, her hands flying up to cover her mouth as she hadn't meant to, as Adrien resumed:  
"I avoided it easily and he missed. I, however, did not. I'd give anything to see what his jaw looked like Monday morning."

A dam in Marinette's heart broke hearing those words.

Back when it had happened, the young woman had stubbornly refused to press charges against Nathanael to spare herself from reliving her nightmare over and over again along the tedious procedures. She hadn't considered herself strong enough to go through a trial, seeing as she was getting random panic attacks daily at that time and often more than once a day. So she kept it hush. The only people in onto the secret were a few classmates and her parents since the singular sight of Nino dragging the pants-less redhead down the university corridors would've been hard to explain without telling at least part of the truth. But her refusal to go to authorities also had meant her aggressor had walked away from the encounter without any form of consequences for his acts apart from being yelled at by Nino and Alya. Up until the moment Adrien's knuckles had met with his pretty face. She had never been too keen on condoning violence, but in this particular instance, the fact that Nathanael had been on the receiving end of a long deserved punch in the face felt oddly relieving. Without thinking, the young woman threw herself at Adrien in a bone-shattering hug, burying her face in the crook of his neck. At first stiff in the weird and uncomfortable embrace seeing they were still seated, he was quick to relax into it and wrap his arms comfortingly around her lithe figure.  
"Thanks, she managed to whisper softly as he nodded against her head, thanks for standing up for me."  
"That's what friends are for, aren't they?"

Marinette nodded, still hugging him tightly. His presence by her side was weirdly comforting enough on its own, and she found herself smiling into their hug.  
"Hey Mari, about what you said earlier?"  
"Which part? I did an awful lot of talking."  
He was still holding her, and she didn't try to pull away.  
"About us both being socially disabled. Maybe that's why we got along so well from the start. We're not afraid to let our inner freak out in front of each other."  
She laughed, finally breaking the hug and regaining her place in front of her half-eaten plate:  
"That must be it. We should start a freak club. I'll be the president, given I'm far worse than you."  
Adrien gave her a weird look when she made that statement but didn't reply.

Marinette finally ate the remnants of her meal before they headed back to their office in a considerably lighter atmosphere. Taking her seat in front of her drawing table the designer glanced back at Adrien who was already burying himself back into his dear numbers, their fight long behind them. Their eyes met, and they both smiled warmly at each other before eagerly going back to work.

Things were back where they were meant to be.

* * *

 _ **A/N I think my mailbox is currently on sickness leave because of a burnout. If I'd known readers cared so much about my baby Adrien's feelings, I would've waited until chapter 16 was ready before posting chapter 15 and posted both at the same time. Marinette's apologies just HAD to be done from Mari's POV, hence the two separate chapters for their make up.**_

 _ **Keep reviewing and commenting, it motivates me to update sooner!**_


	17. Chapter 17: Bewildered (UNEDITED)

_**I keep forgetting to write this! A guest commented on how unfair to Marinette it was from Chat Noir to use all his nicknames on Ladybug. But in the show, it's Chat Noir that calls Mari "Princess" and Ladybug "My lady" etc. Adrien himself doesn't call Marinette anything else than her name. Since Chat Noir isn't going to interact with Marinette directly in this fic, I put the "Princess" in his relationship with Ladybug! Hope this clears that up :P**_

* * *

On Tuesday, Adrien woke up with a smile on his face for the first time in days. He had slept well and felt reeled up with energy. Marinette and he had tackled down an awful lot of work the day before, agreeing on several fabric samples to get delivered for her to put together mock-ups for his father's approval. They had finalized the two first duet of designs, and Adrien was quite fond of the dress she had come up with for the female picnic date. Her male counterpart was just as great and both outfits matched really well, but his favorite was definitely the breezy light sundress.

As he got ready for the day, the blonde toyed with his phone a few minutes absentmindedly, lost in thoughts. He finally reached a decision, and opened his messaging app:  
 _[Chat Noir] I'm trying one last time. I just wanna know if you're okay, I'll leave you alone after this if that's what you want.  
_ He didn't even have enough time to put the device in his pocket before he heard the familiar chime:  
 _[Ladybug] KITTY thank god  
_ _[Ladybug] I'm so, so sorry. My phone got smashed to pieces and I didn't have another way to reach you since I couldn't access my contact book and I received the new one just yesterday evening (had to beg my provider for an hour to keep the same number so you could actually reach me) and I've been waiting ever since for you to contact me so I could have your number back and I didn't know it was possible to ramble by sms but apparently it is  
[Ladybug] Forgive me?_

The blond stared at his phone for a good five minutes in disbelief. He had been worried sick about her for almost a week and nearly lost Marinette over it _all because of a goddamn broken phone?_ His first instinct had been to snap at her and ask her if she had ever heard about making backups of data. His recent fallout with his colleague, however, had taught him to keep his temper in check if he truly wanted to keep his friends. So Adrien instead took a minute to cool off, typing back:  
 _[Chat Noir] Of course  
_ _[Chat Noir] Been really worried, though. Thought something serious happened to you.  
_ _[Ladybug] What could possibly happen to me serious enough I wouldn't be able to text back?  
_ _[Chat Noir] You could have been abducted by E.T.  
_ That was good. As long as he kept being silly, she won't guess he was a little mad at her.  
 _[Ladybug] It's seriously the first hypothesis that brushed your mind kitty?  
_ He fed a loudly whining Plagg before typing back:  
 _[Chat Noir] Nah. Actually I thought you had eloped with your boss and wanted nothing more to do with your poor stray.  
_ _[Chat Noir] Yeah, definitely that. Or someone had broken into your phone, read our conversations and had you locked up in an asylum.  
_ _[Ladybug] The asylum is way more realistic than eloping.  
_ _[Ladybug] Are you sure you're my chaton? Mine knows pretty well I don't do love shits and weddings.  
_ If Adrien hadn't been sure before that he should be focusing more on the real people in his life instead of devoting all his affections to pixelated words, this sealed the deal.  
 _[Chat Noir] Asylum it is then. Only fools never change their minds._

Safely tucking the device away, he let himself out of his apartment and headed to work. The young man made a stop at his favorite coffee shop, picking up his usual order plus a latte for Marinette. The barista asked him with a knowing look if it would be a usual addition prompting him to innocently nod with a soft smile. It wasn't until he pushed the door of his office minutes later that he understood why she had weirdly congratulated him on his way out: she probably thought the latte was for a hypothetical girlfriend. Shrugging it off as an insignificant detail, Adrien deposited the warm beverage in front of an oblivious Marinette that was currently absorbed into frowning at her phone.  
"Good morning Mari. Are you okay?"  
Glancing up at him, the designer sighed:  
"Yeah, though I think I upset a friend by accident, she replied as she took noticed of what he had put before her. Hey, what's with the latte?"  
"I bribed you with caffeine, remember?"  
The bluebell eyes widened as she gasped, horrified:  
"I was kidding about that Adrien! Oh my god, I'm so sor-"

Smirking, the young man lifted the cup and pushed it into her hands:  
"I know you weren't serious, Mari. I bought it for you because I _wanted_ to. And my favorite barista added it to my usual order, so you can safely expect one every morning from now on."  
"Adrien…" Marinette growled in warning.  
"Ah! It's too late to do anything about it now!"  
He ducked to avoid the pencil she'd thrown at him, laughing heartily, and booted up his computer.

Yes. He really should be focusing on real relationships.

* * *

Marinette spent the essential of Wednesday trying to coax out of him where he intended to take her for dinner as they worked. Adrien successfully dodged all her questions, simply stating that it was a surprise and he intended it to stay that way. He kept smiling mischievously as she glared at him, only caving in when she asked him to at least update her on the dressing code.  
"Dress and tie, definitely."  
To his surprise, his partner groaned upon hearing his reply:  
"You do know I'd be fine with a pizza playing Ultimate Mecha Strike at either of our places? I want us to spend time together to get to know you, not your wallet."  
Adrien suddenly felt as he just had an epiphany. So that's what was bothering her! Looking up at her, he smiled softly:  
"I'm perfectly aware of that Mari, don't worry. I promised you a fancy dinner, and though a pizza and video games do sound nice, we'll have to keep that in mind for another time."  
 _[Ladybug] You ARE upset with me, huh?  
_ _[Chat Noir] … a little._

Glancing at the time, Adrien suddenly decided they had done enough for the day:  
"It's almost four o'clock already Mari. Let's call it quit for today? It'll give us both time to shower and change."  
His friend nodded at him, still frowning lightly. He noticed her being a little stiff as she put away her drawing supplies, but decided against pushing further. If he truly wanted to gain her whole trust, he had to respect her space.  
Locking their office door behind them, he glanced back at her:  
"I'll pick you up at seven?"  
She seemed to be clearing her mind of grim thoughts for a second, and when green met blue he read nothing but kindness in them:  
"Sure, I'll be ready. See you then."

* * *

When he stepped out of his shower, Adrien checked his phone quickly before focusing back on shaving and getting ready for his date - _friendly_ date his mind instantly corrected himself- with Marinette.  
 _[Ladybug] I'm really, really sorry I worried you  
_ _[Ladybug] Will it help my case if I tell you I've written down your number and tucked it away for safety so it won't ever happen again?  
_ _[Ladybug] also:_ _coccinelle_fashion zmail . fr_ _  
_ _[Ladybug] so you'll have another way to reach me in case something go wrong again. (with my luck something WILL go wrong sooner or later)  
[Ladybug] I missed you so much_

The young man couldn't help himself from smiling fondly at his screen. His lady was truly one of a kind, leave it to her to pick up on his foul mood and single out the exact reason he was annoyed with her. He didn't want to obliterate her from his life altogether. Surely there was a way to balance things out into a healthier relationship for the two of them?  
 _[Chat Noir] I let you suffer long enough :-P Of course I forgive you princess, I know you didn't vanish into thin air on purpose.  
_ _[Chat Noir] Don't scare me like that ever again though.  
_ _[Chat Noir]_ _sexiest_kitty_ever zmail . fr_ _so we're even.  
_ _[Ladybug] … you didn't dare  
_ _[Chat Noir] you bet I did  
_ _[Ladybug] Hate to abandon you mon chaton, but I have plans for the night. I'll text you tomorrow?  
_ _[Ladybug] We're good?  
_ _[Chat Noir] Yeah, don't worry bugaboo  
[Chat Noir] I missed you too. Happy to have you back my lady_

At seven sharp, Adrien was knocking on Marinette's door.

And his brain almost fried when she opened it.

She had traded her usual ballerinas or kitten heels for blood red high heels pumps. Her black strands were gathered at the back of her head in an elaborate bun and she had applied a little more makeup than usual, the eyeliner making her eyes brighter and her lipstick painting her lips red. A single ruby dangling on a silver chain was hanging at her neck while a delicate silver bracelet was circling her left wrist.

But her dress made his breath hitch in his throat and his mouth go dry.

Black as could be, the mid-thigh length dress was hugging her curves perfectly. The long sleeves accentuated her slender arms and the scoop neckline plunged just deep enough to be alluring without being too revealing. But what made the dress special was the lace. One of the sleeves was entirely made out of lace, letting her pale skin show underneath. A well-placed triangle opening started just below her bust and ran across her flat stomach to her opposite hip, covering her midsection with sheer black lace.  
"You're gorgeous."  
The words were out before he even realized it, and he noticed with delight that Marinette was faintly blushing.  
"Thanks, Adrien. You clean up pretty well yourself," she added as she gestured to his dark gray suit and bright green tie. The young woman took the arm he was offering her as he escorted her to his car, refraining himself from grinning too much.

When he pulled out in front of the restaurant a few minutes later, Marinette's eyes instantly widened:  
"There's no way you got a table at L'Epicure with a two days notice! You have to make reservations six months prior!"  
The blond smiled at her as he helped her out of the car and handed his keys to the valet.  
"I had to pull a string or two, but Nino gushes non-stop about your amazing cooking skills. I figured you'd really enjoy _fine cuisine_ at its finest."  
By then, his friend was grinning openly at him, answering softly with her blue eyes shining:  
"That's very thoughtful of you Adrien, thanks."

They were seated in no time and fell into casual chatter as easily as they did on the boat a week before. They talked about their respective families over the entree. He shared his best modeling anecdotes as they ate the main course, making Marinette laugh on more than one occasion. When the waiter brought up the salads, he found the pair exchanging strategies for the latest Ultimate Mecha Strike. They shared the cheese plate while Marinette explained him the difference between two types of sewing. When the dessert came, they were actively bickering about which anime was the best and why. Adrien was listening attentively to her talking passionately about what she liked, what she couldn't stand, what her projects were, and as he sipped on his glass of wine, he found himself bewildered at just how amazing the young lady was.

* * *

 _ **Two chapters within 24h? Yup! I actually had a day off today and spent the better part of it writing. I also drastically altered the outline of the remaining of this fic and I really like where we are headed now :)**_


	18. Chapter 18: Closeness (UNEDITED)

Once they were done with their meal, they exited the restaurant together, Marinette casually accepting her cavalier's offered arm. As they were waiting for the car, Adrien eyed hey carefully:  
"Do you want me to bring you home just yet? We could always go somewhere for a coffee, or take a stroll in the park if you want."  
Looking up at him, Marinette read nothing but a quiet longing in his expression. Obviously, he too was a little reluctant to head back to an empty apartment and apparently was enjoying her company enough to seek it actively.  
"A walk would be nice," she answered softly, instantly rewarded by a grin akin to that of a child on Christmas morning. The valet took this as his cue to open Adrien's passenger door for her, and she slid on the leather seat gracefully, trying uselessly to keep her feelings in check as her friend made his way to the driver seat.

Minutes after, he parked the car in front of the Trocadero place.  
"Fancy a walk by the illuminated Eiffel tower?"  
He seemed so pleased with himself that Marinette only could nod in agreement, lost in his green irises. A moment later, they were walking side by side in the warmth of the mid-June evening.  
"I've always liked this place." Marinette breathed softly. She felt Adrien chuckled softly at her side:  
"I can see why. It's magnificent, especially at night."  
Feigning to be oblivious to their intertwined fingers ( _when did that even happen?_ ), the young woman let him led her through the park at a ridiculously slow pace, letting the warm summer breeze caress her skin. After a few minutes of a comfortable silence, she found herself whispering:  
"I used to come here all the time with Mama when I was a little girl."  
"I wonder what kind of kid you were back then." he eyed her curiously. At that, Marinette laughed heartily.  
"Papa always says I had too much imagination for my well-being. Had a certain talent to put myself in… situations."  
The young man by her side quirked an eyebrow at her:  
"What kind of situations?"  
"Well, there was that time where I desperately wanted to build a snowman… in August. Mama and Papa were busy with customers, so I snuck in the kitchen and tried to make one out of flour. Needless to say, I made a HUGE mess and Papa found me covered in flour from head to toe crying because I still had no snowman. I must have been four or five at that time."

There was a glimpse of tenderness in the look Adrien gave her.  
"This is precious. Did you do things like that often?"  
Marinette sighed in defeat:  
"Way too much for me to admit it out loud."  
Slender fingers squeezed hers sympathetically:  
"When I was about three years old, I got bored while my father was supervising some photoshoot. Apparently, I found it fit to bury myself into a stack of discarded fabrics. Policemen ultimately found me blissfully sound asleep in there three hours later and handed me back to a hysteric father and a sobbing mother. They hired a nanny to keep track of my whereabouts after that."  
The young lady smiled at him tenderly before resuming staring intently at the ground, avoiding his piercing gaze:  
"Back when I was two, I was utterly convinced I was born to be a superhero. My first flight was cut short by Papa grabbing my foot in extremis, making sure I wouldn't end up splashed up on the concrete three stories below."  
A flash of amusement crossed Adrien's grassy gaze:  
"A superhero, huh? Suits you well."  
Marinette chuckled softly:  
"I honestly think Papa aged ten years all at once that day. I scared him for dear life."  
"You seem to be really close to your parents."  
His words brought back a long repressed regret at the first plan, filling her gaze with sadness:  
"I used to. I always talked openly about everything with them, never keeping any secrets from them. But what happened with Nate put some sort of wall between us. They love me as much as they did before, I know that, but there's a taboo between us that doesn't belong there. Does that make sense?"  
"I understand. My relationship with my mom was pretty much the same. I could wake her up in the dead of the night for the silliest nightmare and she wouldn't mind at all. When she left, my father became even colder and busier than he had been before. So I just mostly kept things to myself, until I met Nino."

Noticing the shiver in his voice as he spoke about his mother, Marinette softly asked:  
"What was she like?"  
"Loving. And full of kindness."  
The young lady glanced back at her partner, startled to find a smile dancing on his lips despite the sorrow in his voice.  
"You miss her a lot, don't you?"  
Adrien squeezed her fingers once again.  
"Time makes it easier. The pain of her disappearing has gotten somewhat dulled by now, but what still stings a lot even years later is that I never got any answers. Why did she leave? Is she okay? If she's still alive, why did she left me behind?"  
Marinette frowned, whispering:  
"I'm sorry Adrien, I didn't mean to pry…"  
"Things were different when mom was around. We would prank each other all the time. She would read me fairy tales before bed, always telling me that one day I'd find my very own princess. Father was happier, more relaxed, and much more present in my life. Those memories are happy ones, Mari. I don't mind at all sharing them with you because they're part of who I am. And if I recall correctly, you want to get to know me, right?"  
The blackette nodded, smiling softly:  
"I do. I really do."

Stifling a yawn, Marinette met Adrien's amused gaze.  
"You're exhausted, Mari. As much as I enjoy this conversation, I should take you home."  
She shook her head stubbornly:  
"Nah I'm fine."  
"Should I bring you an espresso tomorrow morning to ensure your brain is in functioning order then?" the young man laughed gently.  
Sticking her tongue out at him in a childish grimace, Marinette nevertheless had to admit she truly was tired. No matter how much she was enjoying their evening, she'd have to snap back to reality eventually. Reluctantly, the designer nodded.  
"You're right, we should go back."

They returned to the car in silence, Adrien still holding her hand like it was a treasure of some sort. As she slid easily in the passenger seat, Marinette looked at the man she loved in silence:  
"I still owe you that pizza and rematch in Ultimate Mecha Strike. Last time we played I pulverized you, remember?"  
Alya would probably tease her endlessly for spending so much time with Adrien while she was away, but it was worth it. Her issues pushed aside, the young woman truly enjoyed his company a lot, and she wanted to uphold the promise she had made to him to learn to trust him entirely.  
"I was _fifteen,_ Adrien chuckled, but yes, you do. Would Saturday work for you? We could meet at my place for lunch, and I'd get my long overdue revenge in the afternoon?"  
"Saturday it is, then."  
Beaming, the blond squeezed her fingers yet another time before igniting the car.  
"Do you want me to pick you up?"  
"No need, I'll walk or take a cab."  
"Alright then, I'll text you my address later."  
Marinette was way too tired and wrapped up in her pent up emotions to pick up on the fact they had yet to exchange numbers, so she simply nodded and looked away.

For a moment, she rested her forehead against the cold window as Adrien drove and allowed herself to wish things were different. In another world, another destiny where her life would've unfolded differently, maybe she would have a shot at happiness with the wonderful and attractive man she was learning to know better and better every day these days. It did help a lot that they virtually spent every free minute they had together working on either the collection or their relationship, but their sudden closeness was beginning to scare Marinette. In barely even ten little days, he had managed to snatch himself a comfortable spot in her heart and in her life, undeniably becoming as important to her as were Alya, Nino or Chat Noir. The intensity of her affections toward him terrified her beyond what words could describe. True, the young designer had been pining for her dreamy blond model ever since she was fifteen, but in retrospect that had been sweet nothings compared to what she was feeling right now. He wasn't only a kind and caring boy gifted with a pretty face to her anymore. Adrien was a complicated and beautiful human being, with his flaws and a history of his own, and she loved him so much more than she thought she ever could because of that.

He seemed to enjoy her company a lot as of lately, making unwelcome hopes blossom in her fragile heart. Hopes she'd imperatively have to stifle for both their sake. They couldn't be anything more than friends, she wouldn't allow it. If only Nathanael hadn't gone and broke her carelessly like he did, soiling her body and her mind permanently for his successors. If only she wasn't a total wreck unable to love anyone properly and way too prompt at avoiding any form of confrontation. If only she had gotten to know the _real_ wonderful, dorky and not-so-perfect Adrien five years earlier. Then maybe, hopefully, her life may have taken another path.

As the young lady was feeling right then, she had nothing to offer him but an emotional mess barely able to keep her mind away from constant panic attacks and a broken body she considered filthy. Marinette knew she was far from being any wedding or family material, still struggling badly with various aftermaths of her plaguing past. Adrien deserved way better than the boiling and unpredictable mess that she was. She loved him enough to keep their relationship platonic, keep him blissfully away from her shattered soul.  
"We're here."  
His deep voice stirred her out of her grim thoughts. She took in her surroundings, noticing her partner had stopped his car in front of her building. He exited the car without waiting for her to react, rounding it quickly to open the passenger door for her. Smiling gratefully at him, she accepted the hand helping her outside of the vehicle with some dignity. Like the gentleman she knew him to be, his escorted her to her front door, awkwardness suddenly seeming to pool between them without any real cause to. Unlocking her door, she smiled faintly at him:  
"Thank you for the lovely evening, Adrien. I really enjoyed myself."

The man by her side didn't answer. Startled by his sudden and unusual silence, Marinette couldn't help but notice Adrien was staring intently at her lips, unconsciously barely licking his as he ever so subtly leaned in. When she picked up on her partner's now very clear intentions, the blackette instantly felt all the tell-tale signs of an incoming breakdown showing up all at once - sweaty palms, maddening fast heartbeat, short breath, blurry mind. In a desperate attempt to preserve her already wavering sanity, she lunged forward instinctively, planting a firm and quick peck on his cheek, effectively deflecting him from his original goal.  
"See you tomorrow?" Marinette managed to utter in intelligible words despite the poor state of mind she was in.  
"Tomorrow, Mari. Sleep tight." Adrien replied in a deep and almost sultry tone before planting a kiss on her knuckles and going back down the stairs with long and elegant strides.

Left on her own, Marinette somehow managed to let herself into her apartment, focusing intently on her breathing and steadying the crazy beating of her heart, and slumped against the inside of her front door, greeting an upset and hungry kitten:  
"Your mama is a hopeless wreck, Tikki."


	19. Chapter 19: Pest control (UNEDITED)

_[Chat Noir] Good morning Princess! What kind of day awaits you?_  
 _[Ladybug] A long one it would seem._  
On Thursday morning, Adrien found their joint office to be empty upon his arrival despite being almost half an hour late. He smiled to himself as he mentally noted that punctuality was definitely a trait they both lacked cruelly. The young man hung his jacket on a hook and noticed that her purse was oddly already hanging on the next hook making him reconsider his previous statement. Spinning around on his heels, he quickly scanned their office a second time as if he could've missed her. Surely enough, she still was nowhere in sight, even though now that he took his time to analyze his surroundings, her drawing table was totally cluttered with drawing supplies, and scraps of fabrics were laying around everywhere on her working table. Curious about the mess she had created, probably in a time of great inspiration, he crossed the room to check which design she was currently working on, only to be stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the approved, loved and nearly perfect (in his opinion though) female cinema-date design hung on her drawing table, circled by arrows and angry notes. He didn't have a clue about where the young designer might have vanished to, but it was very clear Marinette had found something she didn't like in her previous design and was currently on a quest to fix it.

The blond smiled fondly at her obvious dedication to their upcoming collection. She took this project very seriously despite their rocky debuts. The missed kiss from the day before replayed yet again in his lovesick mind. At first, he had been mad at himself for trying something that forward on her and expecting a positive reaction from the scarred girl. But the more he thought about it, he couldn't help but notice she hadn't outright rejected him. The blackette had just dodged the kiss without even mentioning it, making it obvious she wasn't anywhere ready for such a mark of affection, and had instead kissed him on the cheek before retreating back in her apartment. And he would get to see her again out of professional context on Saturday, which _she_ had initiated. Maybe there was still hope for a little more than friendship between them after all.  
 _[Chat Noir] Lots of work?_  
 _[Ladybug] Yeah, and I just made things worse_  
 _[Ladybug] My boss' gonna kill me_  
 _[Chat Noir] if he does, I'll avenge you my lady!  
[Chat Noir] Super Kitty to the rescue!_

Suddenly recalling he was supposed to text Marinette his address for the upcoming video games session he was dearly looking forward to, he pulled out his phone and started scrolling down his contact list. Adrien frowned in frustration when he noticed there was no contact listed between _Césaire, Alya_ and _Dussault, Adam._ Where in the world was _Dupain-Cheng, Marinette_? Right on cue, the door opened, and he breathed softly without bothering to look up:  
"Good morning beautiful. Your timing is perfect: I was about to text you, but it seems I don't have your contact info yet."  
 _[Ladybug] … I bet you would be wearing thighs. Just to annoy me even in my grave._  
The high pitched voice that answered him was definitely not Marinette's:  
"What are you talking about Adrikins? I've had the same number for the past ten years or so, there's no way you don't have it already."  
Dreadfully looking up from the small digital screen, Adrien found himself staring into the icy blue gaze of Chloe Bourgeois, his childhood friend that also turned out to be an adulthood nightmare. He tried to hide the shiver that ran down his spine as he walked toward her.  
"Chloe! What are you doing here?"  
Crossing her arms over her chest, the blonde glared down at him:  
"Well, I was over at Sabrina and Nate's the other night, and guess who forgot to tell his best friend in the world that he was back in Paris?"

Adrien internally cursed Nathanael with all his might. Without any doubts, this was his petty way of coming back at him for the little brawl they had at the wedding. It wasn't a secret for anyone, apart from Chloe herself it seemed, that Adrien wanted nothing more to do with the mayor's daughter. Ever since she had married some random rich brat she had pulled out of nowhere, she had become even more spoiled and insufferable that she had ever been to begin with.  
"Sorry Chloe, I've been really busy lately."  
She snorted inelegantly:  
"Too much busy to let your oldest friend know you were back in town?"  
The blonde woman tied her arms around his neck in a weird embrace like she had done countless times before. But for some reason, this time it really ticked Adrien off. That was wrong, on so many levels he didn't even know where to begin with.

Right on cue, loud knocks resonated on the closed door as a voice he had grown really fond of lately came slightly muffled through the wooden panel:  
"Adrien, are you in there? I've got my hands full, could you open the door?" Marinette's soft voice came through the wooden panel.  
"Right away!" the young man answered as he ripped himself from the blonde's clutches before darting toward the door in one soft motion, ignoring Chloe's indignant huffs. He swung the door open, revealing his partner's lithe figure buried under various rolls of fabrics. The young designer smiled at him apologetically:  
"I kinda want to rethink the female cinema-date. It isn't nearly as feminine as I would like it to be. Is that okay with you?"  
Forgetting Chloe was in their office, watching their interaction with more than an interested eye, Adrien let his mind focus entirely on Marinette as he took the fabric rolls from her arms:  
"You're the genius designer Mari, not me. This outfit was a little under budget anyway, so I think you can pull it off. What did you have in mind?"  
"Well, Marinette answered softly with a radiant smile, lace would really add a nice touch to it and I've been thinking… CHLOE?"  
The shriek that escaped Marinette's throat told Adrien he really should have warned his partner about their unexpected guest. The heiress eyed the newcomer disdainfully, her hands on her hips over her designer jeans:  
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. What an unpleasant surprise."

Adrien instantly saw Marinette tense up as she eyed their impromptu visitor carefully. Chloe, however, didn't seem to pick up on the sudden awkwardness, seeing she just scoffed:  
"You must be elated Marinette. You managed to snatch yourself a job under Adrien's direct orders."  
The young man didn't wait for his partner's reaction to cut in:  
"Actually Chlo, Marinette and I are both working together under _my father_ 's order on this project, he answered putting as much emphasis on those two words as he could. This is kind of a test, to see if I'm fit to manage the company when he retires someday. And since I couldn't be trusted to design hamster fashion, he had to hire someone to take care of the artistic side of the job. That's where Mari comes to play."  
He fully expected Chloe to argue back, belittle Marinette a little further or come back with a petty remark. What he didn't expect, however, was the blonde nodding softly as she eyed them both repeatedly.  
"I see." was the only reply he got from her.

The young designer checked her phone quickly before casting an annoyed glance at the mess she had created in the room.  
"I skipped breakfast this morning Adrien, and I'm famished. I'm gonna hit the small cafe a few blocks away real quick before straightening my clutter up. You want anything from them?"  
Unsure of what she was trying to achieve, he simply breathed in answer:  
"The usual please."  
"Of course. Goodbye, Chloe, it was good to see you again. It's been a while."  
Before either he or Chloe could react, Marinette was gone, carefully closing the door behind her.

Adrien stared at the closed panel for a second too long, as it seemed to prompt his childhood friend to pry:  
"Okay. What the hell did I just witness, and when in the world did it happen?"  
Snapping back to his surroundings, the young man just shrugged as he booted up his computer.  
"I don't have a clue what you're talking about."  
The blonde sat on their desk, giving him a glare that hinted very clearly that she didn't believe him.  
"Adrien, please. I've known you ever since you strutted your sorry butt around in diapers. Don't try to play dumb with me."  
Finally daring to look up into the icy blue eyes he knew all too well, Adrien read nothing but disbelief in them.  
"What do you want me to say, Chloe?"  
She picked up Marinette's sketchbook from her side of their desk, and it took the blond all his will to not rip it from her clutches as she flicked it open curiously:  
"All of a sudden sweet little Marinette manage to utter more than two words in a row around you? And you should have seen your face when you heard her voice through the door, you looked like a starving man facing a Christmas buffet."  
 _[Ladybug] Do you have anything for pest control?_

There was a minute of silence between the pair. Sure, Adrien had distanced himself from Chloe shenanigans over time as they both grew up. He was more of a dorky quiet geek, she was a socially perfect butterfly. But somewhere deep inside, they still both were the little rich kids with no one else to lean on.  
"I-I'm confused, to be honest. What are you trying to imply?"  
His childhood friend smiled sympathetically:  
"Do you want me to spell it out for you? Honestly, hasn't any of your lame friends pointed it out to you already?"  
Frowning, Adrien crossed his arms defensively in front of him:  
"Nino is currently on a well-deserved honeymoon, so I won't bother him with my pathetic life. Marinette's pretty much the only significant human being which I interacted with in nearly two weeks, so it was inevitable we would end up closer. Why do you care so much suddenly anyway?"  
Snickering, Chloe shook her head as she answered softly:  
"My poor Adrien… You're so in love. Hopelessly head over heels, I'd dare to say."  
He breathed gently, unable to refute the obvious accusation:  
"I think I am, Chloe."

The blonde scoffed:  
"Then would you care to explain to me why you two aren't already dating?"  
He shook his head, eying his partner empty chair with longing clearly written on his traits:  
"Things aren't like that Chloe. We're friends, and she wants to keep things at that."  
"Oh please! I've been in the room for barely five minutes and it was painful to watch. There's obviously something between you two, you'd have to be blind to overlook that."  
Adrien tried to stifle the flaming hopes Chloe's words had raised in him. After all, she didn't know Marinette that much, she could very well be horribly mistaken. Looking back at his childhood friend, he sighed:  
"Even if you were right, I can't just pounce on her. I don't even know how to let her know how I feel about her without scaring her away."

This time, the smile Chloe gave him wasn't mocking nor condescending. It was a genuine friendly smile.  
"Just be yourself, Adrien. She already loves you, it's crystal clear."  
He scoffed gently:  
"Yeah, because it has been really successful so far."  
The blonde woman got up and planted an affectionate peck on his cheek before retreating toward the door. She paused with her hand on the handle, glancing back at him:  
"You know, I'd like very much to be invited to the wedding, even if she hates me. Goodbye, Adrien."  
And with that she was gone, leaving a stunned Adrien behind.  
 _[Chat Noir] Of course I'd wear thighs to avenge your murder, what kind of superhero would I be otherwise?_  
 _[Chat Noir] What kind of pest are we talking about?  
[Ladybug] The expensive one._

He still hadn't fully recovered from the encounter when Marinette came back from the cafe fifteen minutes later, visibly relieved to find their visitor long gone. When asked if he was okay, the young man only managed to blame his strange behavior on a headache. He spent the remaining of the day casting random glances at Marinette, Chloe's words replaying constantly in his mind.  
 _"Just be yourself."_

* * *

 _ **Readers apparently skimmed hardcore over a rather important line in the last chapter:  
**_ _ **"Marinette was way too tired and wrapped up in her pent up emotions to pick up on the fact they had yet to exchange numbers, so she simply nodded and looked away."**_

 _ **They HAVE NOT exchanged numbers yet (and yes, he forgot to ask her after Chloe's departure. He's hopeless.).**_

 _ **I'm sorry if you were expecting a reveal in this chapter. The only thing I'm willing to offer about the reveal is that it won't be the end of the fic, I have things planned post-reveal. You can make what you want about that. We're getting there :)**_


	20. Chapter 20: Speechless (UNEDITED)

Friday started wonderfully for Marinette. She managed to wake up before her alarm went off and fixed herself a nice and healthy breakfast. The young lady enjoyed thoroughly her fresh bowl of fruits and her milky oatmeal before treating herself to a nice hot shower. As she towel-dried her damp skin she thought about the designs she wanted to work on that day. Her mock-ups for both the picnic and the coffee date were ready to be presented to Gabriel Agreste, but she had to redo the female cinema-date outfit from scratch as she had entirely modified the design the day before. She and Adrien had finally agreed on the male ice-skating-date design, so it wouldn't hurt to get started on that as well.

Tying her black strands into a neat French braid, she slipped on a ruby red light skirt that swirled prettily around her knees when she spun. Pulling a black off-the-shoulder top over her head, she cast an appreciative glance at herself in her floor-length mirror. Black ballerinas completing her look, she grabbed her purse and headed to Agreste's offices with minutes to spare. She felt great and confident. The past week had simply been amazing, and she was buzzing with energy and inspiration.

As she had on the first day of her internship, Marinette met with Adrien at the bottom of the stairs. The young man greeted her with a warm smile, extending his arm toward her so she could grab her daily latte.  
"You really don't have to, Adrien."  
He grinned.  
"I know."  
Marinette giggled, admitting defeat:  
"There's nothing I can say or do to change your mind about this, huh?"  
He opened the building door and gestured for her to enter as he breathed softly, a light smirk on his lips:  
"Making our partnership last as long as possible will be repayment enough, don't you think?"  
Startled by his answer, Marinette looked at him curiously:  
"It's really that important to you?"  
As they waited for the elevator, Adrien answered quietly:  
"I get to work with an amazing designer, who's in bonus a really good friend and weirdly seems to care about me, **_AND_** I don't have to model anymore. Working with you means freedom for me. A latte seems a little price to pay in exchange, don't you agree?"  
Blushing, Marinette smiled shyly. The elevator doors opened and they entered the small cabin, the blackette pressing the button for their floor. If she had learned something in the past two weeks about her partner, it was that he was incredibly stubborn once he had made up his mind about something. It was useless to try to fight with him over something as petty as lattes.  
"That's a good thing I plan on sticking around until you can't bear my sight anymore then."  
If she hadn't known him better, Marinette would've sworn that the smile Adrien gave her at that exact second was nothing short than flirtatious:  
"I can't see that happen anytime soon."

Rendered speechless by his sudden boldness, the young designer simply pushed their office door open and went straight to her cutting table resuming where she had left her work the day before. If Adrien noticed anything weird in her attitude, he didn't mention it which she was really grateful for. They worked in a comfortable silence for a few minutes before she felt her phone vibrate softly in her pocket:  
 _[Chat Noir] Can I ask you a really weird question?_  
 _[Ladybug] How much weird are we talking about? If it's about whether or not Plagg has been possessed again, I already told you he's just old and grumpy._  
Tugging on the fabric laid before her, she mentally berated herself. Adrien was a friend and couldn't be anything more than that. She had to stop letting her misplaced feelings take the best of her.  
 _[Chat Noir] I'm still waiting on tangible proof about Plagg. That cat has demonic genes._  
 _[Chat Noir] Actually I need advice, my lady.  
[Chat Noir] How do you tell someone you have feelings for them?_

Marinette tried to ignore the way her stomach clenched painfully as she read his last text. First Adrien, now Chat Noir? How fickle could she get?  
 _[Ladybug] You don't seem to have any trouble telling me. Almost daily._  
 _[Chat Noir] True…_  
 _[Chat Noir] My lady? Do you think it's possible to love two persons at once?_  
 _[Chat Noir] You know how much I love you, always had. But I can't stop thinking about her either._  
She had no right to feel like that. To feel betrayed by his wavering affections. To feel crushed by what she had known was bound to happen sooner or later all along.  
 _[Ladybug] It certainly is possible. I know I do._  
The young woman had typed the words without thinking about them, but as soon as they were out she realized it wasn't a lie. Adrien had had a strong grip on her heart ever since she had been fifteen, but Marinette couldn't deny anymore the way she was feeling about Chat Noir was the main reason she still refused to meet him after all this time. Not that she planned on ever letting him know that.  
 _[Ladybug] What is she like? Must be a really amazing woman to steal my stray kitty's heart.  
_ She regretted the words as soon as she pressed send. The young designer blessed the foresight of the person who had imagined the layout of their office. Her back was blissfully turned on Adrien, who couldn't see clearly what she was doing nor the expression on her face. She didn't think she would be able to do a great job at hiding how heartbroken she felt right then knowing what Alya had warned her about was happening and she couldn't do anything about it.

She had taken too long to heal, to gather her courage. To sort her feelings out, to make up her goddamn mind.

Chat Noir wasn't waiting for her anymore.

 _[Chat Noir] She definitely is._  
 _[Chat Noir] She's the kindest and most caring girl I've ever met, she's funny and witty, she lights up the room when she walks in. I'm sure you would like her. Doesn't hurt either that she's stunningly beautiful._  
Marinette tried to hide the whimper that threatened to escape her lips. She obviously was no match for that mysterious girl who had caught her kitty's eyes _._ Why hadn't she listened to Alya? Why had she foolishly waited until it was already way too late to admit that Adrien wasn't the sole recipient of her affections? She had taken him for granted, had figured she could hide behind her screen as long as she wanted and he would still be there.  
 _[Ladybug] Why do I feel there's a "but"?_  
The designer willed herself to calm down. Even if she had realized her feelings sooner it wouldn't have changed anything. Chat Noir deserved someone that wasn't broken just as much as Adrien did. She couldn't properly be with either of them. It shouldn't matter that he loved someone else. If anything, she should be happy for him.  
 _[Chat Noir] She's the friend I told you about the other day._  
 _[Ladybug] The one that got hurt?  
[Chat Noir] Yeah. (I really should get working, I'm going to piss my coworker off)._

Marinette risked a curious glance over her shoulder. Her blue gaze met with Adrien kind eyes, and he offered her a broad smile before looking back at his computer screen.  
 _[Ladybug] I'm safe for the time being, I don't think my boss noticed yet that I'm texting more than I'm working._  
 _[Ladybug] I shouldn't push my luck, though._  
Sighing softly, she began cutting the fabric she needed and managed to pin it together before she felt her phone buzz again in her pocket.  
 _[Chat Noir] I'm scared that if I try pursuing her I'll lose her as a friend altogether._  
 _And I'm scared to lose you as a friend if you do pursue her,_ Marinette thought.  
 _[Ladybug] I don't know her nor what happened to her, but in any case, I think honesty is the best policy._  
 _[Ladybug] Just be yourself when you tell her. If she doesn't return your feelings at least you'll know where you stand._  
 _[Chat Noir] I'll try. I'll let you know how it goes._  
Marinette suddenly felt overwhelmed. She knew she had no business feeling that way. Chat had every right to love and being loved properly. She suddenly turned around on her chair, startling Adrien who looked at her curiously :  
"I need to clear my mind a little. I'm going out for a walk or something, I'm coming back, don't worry."  
He smiled, that wide smile that showed his dimples, as he answered softly as he got up:  
"Sure. Anything you want to talk about?"  
The young woman grabbed her purse and summoned all her will to smile at him as genuinely as she could despite how she truly felt:  
"I'll be fine, thanks. I just need fresh air. Actually… Wanna tag along?"  
The blond simply nodded and opened the door for her:  
"After you then."

They ended up walking for over an hour, quietly chatting about silly little things. Adrien was obviously trying his best to distract her from her sorrows, making her glad she had invited him to come along. The young man didn't push to know what was on her mind, simply reassuring her that _if_ she wanted to talk about it, he'd be there.

When they headed back to their office, she laughed softly:  
"So much for leaving my problems at home. I'm a huge fraud."  
Adrien shook his head as he waited for her to open the door, having his hands full with the lunch they had stopped to get on their way back:  
"I disagree. We agreed not to let our private life interfere with our work. You obviously couldn't focus on what you were doing so you took it upon yourself to take your lunch break earlier to clear your mind. _And_ you let me know something was wrong instead of just snapping at me."  
She giggled:  
"When you put it that way I almost sound mature."  
The blond smiled:  
"You know, how _we_ make this work is up to us both. I don't mind taking a break to walk, laugh or talk once in awhile if either of us needs it."  
The blackette helped him lay the boxes on their desk, prompting him to frown in disbelief:  
"That's an awful lot of sushis."  
Blushing, Marinette chuckled:  
"I always have trouble choosing, so I end up with a little bit of everything. Don't be shy, dig in!"  
Laughing heartily, Adrien picked up a shrimp maki and smiled at her warmly.

The afternoon was noticeably way more productive, Marinette had unwinded enough to actually being able to tackle a lot of work. She finally left their office long after sunset despite her partner's objections, exhausted but proud of the progress she had made.

In fact, she had been so focused on her designs all afternoon that she didn't even notice Adrien not so subtly staring at her for hours.


	21. Chapter 21: Unshed tears (UNEDITED)

_**You, my readers, are spoiled :) And it's because I love you all. Keep commenting, it fuels me like you have no idea (it's partly the reason why I'm not working on Both of you currently, I'm unmotivated for it, sadly). You can expect the next 3 or 4 chapters to come out in the next week or so.**_

* * *

On Saturday, Adrien was up at dawn with barely three hours of sleep in his system. He was feeling restless at the idea that in a few hours, Marinette would be in his home. He spent the morning feverishly straightening his apartment up, double and triple checking everything. The place was far from being messy to begin with, but he just couldn't stand still for two minutes in a row. Shoving unceremoniously an upset Plagg down the leather couch so he could vacuum the inexistent cat hair out of it, he watched without surprise his furry roommate escape to find another spot to sleep in and sulk in peace away from prying eyes. Knowing the feline's habits, Adrien would probably find him sound asleep in the dryer in a few hours. He resumed his useless early spring cleaning before suddenly realizing he was awfully sweating from head to toes from running around in his apartment all morning. Quickly stripping down Adrien hopped in the shower, not even bothering to wait for the water to warm up to put himself under the water.

That's when the thought hit him like a truck.

He had never managed to get Marinette's number.

Therefore, she didn't have his either, nor did she have his address.

Panic washing over him, he washed his body so fast he almost got dizzy from the speed at which he was moving and jumped out of the shower just as quick as he had jumped in. The blond got dressed as fast as he could, almost tripping over his bed in the process and checked the time on his phone. It was almost eleven by then. Grabbing his keys he darted down the stairs of his building and into his car. Ten minutes later, he was pulling in front of Marinette's building. Without pausing to catch his breath, Adrien raced out of his car faster than if it had been on fire and climbed the stairs skipping as many steps as he could without breaking his neck. He knocked furiously on her door, which opened almost instantly, revealing a startled yet fully clothed Marinette, obviously ready to go out. The stunned young woman took a quick look at him, paused for a second, and dissolved into hysteric laughter.

That's only then, seeing her laughing so hard she had to clutch her ribs, that Adrien finally took a second to analyze what he must've looked like. Sporting an awfully creased shirt, damp hair desperately sticking in every direction on his head, different colored shoes in each foot, completely out of breath, he offered her quite a show without a single doubt. Torn between his utter embarrassment and a sudden urge to join her laughing, he blushed furiously before setting on the latter. A light chuckle escaped his lips, before turning into full blown laughter. Marinette finally regained enough composure to utter intelligibly:  
"What the hell happened to you?"  
Heaving, Adrien had to focus on breathing before he could answer her:  
"Remembered you didn't have my address or any mean of contacting me. Jumped straight from my shower into my car to come and get you."  
The blackette smiled at him, still struggling to keep another fit of laughter at bay:  
"Actually I was about to text Nino to have your contact info, but since you're here already I guess it won't be necessary after all."  
Smiling sheepishly, Adrien mumbled:  
"Can we stop making fun of me and head back, please? I'd like to change into something more presentable if you don't mind."  
Her laugh was holy music in his ears. His misadventure was suddenly very worth it. The blackette locked her door behind her and placed a  
little slip of paper in his hand.  
"Here. I wanted to give it to you yesterday but it slipped my mind, sorry."  
Seeing the digits scribbled in a neat, round handwriting, he looked up at her smiling widely before tucking it safely in his pocket.  
"Thanks, I'll text you later so you'll have mine. For now, I was promised a chance to get my long overdue revenge."  
"Dream on, Agreste." she answered as she playfully nudged his arm.

While they were getting back to his car, Adrien eyed appreciatively the beautiful woman walking beside him, taking in how pretty she looked that day. If himself looked like a pitiful mess, she, on the other hand, was simply gorgeous. She had gathered her beautiful dark hair in a sleek ponytail resting on the crown of her head and was sporting the faintest touch of makeup. Clad in washed skinny jeans and a dark gray Jagged Stone concert t-shirt hugging her curves just right, this was definitely the most relaxed look he had ever seen on her. And boy did she wear it well. She truly was breathtaking, and he felt anxiety rise in his stomach yet again. He was nothing but a hopeless dork, did he really stood a chance to ever call her his?

The car ride was mostly silent, Adrien still fussing over the disaster that was the day so far and Marinette looking out the window pensively. Once they reached his apartment, though, his friend smiled at him warmly:  
"So this is your place?"  
Nervosity returning full fledge, Adrien nodded shyly:  
"Yeah, I'm not fully settled yet, but I-"  
"It's nice, Marinette cut him, I like it."  
Feeling himself blush, he stumbled over his words:  
"You-you do?"  
Nodding heartily, the young woman removed her sneakers and ventured inside the apartment. Seeing her in his home made Adrien's heart squeeze weirdly in his chest. He observed her as she caressed absentmindedly the black leather of his couch, before making her way to the bookcase filled to the brim. She eyed curiously his Blu-ray and video games collection before heading to the kitchen.  
"Oh my god your kitchen is a cook's dream came true", she gushed loudly as she spotted the high-end appliances and all the working surface the kitchen offered. Adrien smiled:  
"That's too bad I'm lame at it then."  
"I could teach you someday. It's not that hard, it's all about following instructions."  
Now grinning from ear to ear, the blond softly breathed:  
"I'd like that very much."

Noticing the silver feeding bowls laying on the floor near the oven, Marinette inquired with shining eyes:  
"Oh, I didn't know you had a pet?"  
Shrugging, he smiled:  
"Yeah, an old cat I took in while I was in Toulouse. Less lonely that way, you know? But he's not adjusting very well to the move, so he's probably hiding somewhere and likely won't come out at all."  
"Give him time, cats are creatures of habits."  
Noticing the obvious fondness in her voice, he couldn't help himself but ask:  
"Do you own any pet? I don't recall seeing any at your place."  
Laughing, Marinette answered softly:  
"She was probably sleeping someplace weird. I got the kitten a couple weeks ago, and she has yet to sleep in the bed I bought her."  
"Yeah, they tend to do that a lot." he answered, trying to repress the feelings her laugh was awakening in him.

As if she sensed his sudden uneasiness, the young woman suddenly spun around, pulling out her phone from her jeans pocket and waving it at him:  
"You know what? You go and change, I'll order the pizza and then you'll get to try and beat me at Ultimate Mecha Strike."  
Adrien emerged from his bedroom ten minutes later with neatly combed hair, a clean t-shirt and dark jeans, Marinette deposited her phone on the table and announced proudly:  
"Well, pizza's on its way. Time to show me those skills you've been bragging about Mr. Agreste."

After two hours of suffering defeat after defeat to her amazing technique, it became obvious that even though he was good, Adrien was no match against her. The young man watched rather amused as Marinette jumped up from the couch in a small victory dance yet another time, bouncing up and down excitedly before treating herself to another slice of pizza. Dropping back on the couch beside him, she smiled at him broadly, nudging him slightly:  
"You're not even trying!"  
Adrien chuckled gently:  
"I guess I'm kind of distracted today, honestly."  
Startled, the young lady sat straight back up, obviously concerned:  
"How's so? Did something happen? Do you wanna talk about it?"  
This was it. That was the perfect moment he had been waiting for all day.  
"I guess I'm not that used to have a beautiful woman sitting on my couch."  
She blushed profusely, playfully nudging him on the arm:  
"Where does that even come from?"

Leaning in slightly toward her, Adrien lost himself in the cerulean eyes he loved so much. Nervosity got the best of him and the young man stuttered:  
"I-I like you a lot, Mari."  
Shock spread on her pretty face before she uttered in answer:  
"You… you're a really good friend to me too, Adrien."  
He shook his head, a sad smile dancing on his lips.  
"That's… that's not what I meant."  
Time seemed to stand still for a second, and Adrien found himself staring at her lips yet again. He briefly wondered if they were as soft as they looked like as he brought a shaking hand to cup her cheek, his thumb absentmindedly stroking it tenderly.  
"Mari…"  
"Yes?" she answered in a breath, her eyes still locked with his.  
"I really want to kiss you right now. May I?"

With that, with a mere sentence, the spell was broken.

Adrien watched, helpless, as her eyes widened in horror and she clasped a hand over her mouth. Fumbling to get up from the couch, she refused to look straight at him and gathered her belongings clumsily:  
"I… I can't do this Adrien. I can't be with anyone right now… Maybe not ever… I'm sorry…"  
"But-"  
Marinette grabbed her purse and turned her back on him swiftly, but not before he had time to notice the unshed tears pooling in her bluebell eyes.

As she opened the door of his apartment, she added softly:  
"I'm not fleeing, okay? I just really need some time alone right now. I promise you I'll be at the office Monday morning if you'll still have me as a partner. I'm really sorry."  
The next second she was gone, the door closing softly behind her, leaving Adrien too stunned to even react for a few minutes. He felt like his heart had just been shredded to pieces and then thrown in a tornado. Barely conscious of his own movements, he pulled out his phone and sent a short SMS to his lady, hoping she could help him figure out where exactly he went wrong. What he have possibly done to scare his sweet Marinette away.

In his dazed state, he barely registered an unfamiliar chime pierce the heavy silence of his lonely apartment. Looking up from his own screen, the blond spotted a phone he recognized to be Marinette's laying forgotten on the kitchen table. The blackette must've left it behind in her haste to get away from him as fast as she could. His thoughts still a foggy and painful blur, Adrien walked over and picked up the little electronic device, the screen instantly lighting up as he pressed the home button out of habit.

And froze.

His breath hitched in his throat and his heart stilled in his chest as the young man stared bewildered at the words dancing on the little screen:  
 _ **NEW SMS FROM CHAT NOIR  
** I think I messed up real bad princess._

* * *

 _ **All aboard the feelings rollercoaster!**_


	22. Chapter 22: Angry sky (UNEDITED)

_**You guys are amazing. The response last chapter got was overwhelming. I can't thank you guys enough for sticking with me.**_

* * *

Adrien felt his blood painfully pounding in his head, in his heart. How could this even be possible? Maybe he was imagining all this, maybe his lovesick mind had finally gone mad? Maybe Marinette also had a friend she oddly nicknamed Chat Noir? Maybe that friend also happened to call her princess? Maybe he had texted her the exact same message he had sent his lady at the exact same time? Maybe, maybe it was just all a miraculous coincidence. Because it simply just couldn't be what it seemed to be. He couldn't have been oblivious enough to spend the last two weeks in her sole company without realizing she was the dear princess he had been hopelessly in love with all this time. He couldn't possibly have been sitting in the same room as her, _texting her,_ without even suspecting anything all along.

He impossibly could be lucky enough for the two women he loved to be one and only.

His heart beating so hard in his chest he was afraid it would explode at any given time, Adrien went back to his bedroom at a mechanical pace and picked up from the floor the pants he had on when he showed up at her place earlier that day. Reaching for the front pocket, shaky fingers clenched around the small piece of paper she had given him and he looked at the numbers she had scribbled down, his vision getting blurry from anticipation. Unlocking his own phone, he pressed on _Add contact_ and typed in the digits Marinette had provided him with. Deep down, Adrien knew perfectly what would happen. It didn't prevent him though from feeling like he was free-falling down a skyscraper when his phone prompted him with an error message, confirming what he already knew by then without any lingering doubt:  
 _Contact already existing. Do you want to replace [Ladybug] with [Dupain-Cheng, Marinette]?  
_ Adrien couldn't bring himself to answer the simple question the little device was asking him. His fingers ultimately gave up on holding it, shaking so much the telephone hit the floor with a soft thud.

The blond felt dizzy, overwhelmed. What he knew about both girls began to overlap in his mind, connecting now very obvious dots and filling blatant holes in their respective personalities.

The great internship Ladybug had been hoping to get in a big fashion house was the one Marinette had gotten at Agreste.

The nosy best friend was obviously Alya, and the dress Ladybug had gone MIA for a few days to sew was the masterpiece he had genuinely praised Marinette's talent for making.

The kitten Marinette had recently gotten was Tikki, the ginger ball of fur Ladybug had been so proud to show off.

The reason Marinette had closed her apartment door behind her when he had been at her place to make up for their fight was probably to make sure said Tikki wouldn't escape.

Of course, Ladybug's parents owned a shop, himself had been a fan of Tom and Sabine's bakery for years.

Both of their birthdays were in July, a fact he hadn't registered until this very second.

They both loved pink an awful lot.

Now that he knew Marinette better on a personal level, it was easy to see they were both equally sassy, passionate and endlessly kind.

Other dots, on the other hand, were cruelly painful to connect.

Of course, Ladybug had been freaked about being dragged to the strippers given Marinette's past! What in the world had the girls been thinking? And to think Nino was convinced his bride-to-be was having an innocent sleepover that night.

On the night of the wedding, Ladybug had fallen asleep on the line mere seconds before Adrien had found a sleeping Marinette on her couch, her phone in her hand.

 _Wait a second._

Marinette had almost been raped by Nathanael four years ago. Ladybug had drunkenly confessed that evening that she would have had a three-year-old by now had she made another life-altering choice.

His head started spinning madly as what that fact implied sunk in, and Adrien had to sit down on his bed.

 _FUCK._

There had never been an _almost_.

Nathanael had _raped_ her, and she had had to get an abortion because of him. He didn't know the exact reason why she'd felt the need to lie about it, but it was crystal clear that she had now.

To think about all the things she had had to go through on her own made Adrien's heart ache desperately for her. No wonder Marinette reacted that way when he foolishly tried to push their relationship further. No wonder Ladybug wasn't interested in anything more than platonic with anybody. The poor girl had been scarred for life by a monster that Adrien dearly wished worst than dead at that precise second.

But if Marinette was really Ladybug, who was the mystery boss she had loved for seven long years? She couldn't possibly be infatuated with his dad, it would be a very disturbing idea, and he was pretty sure she had mentioned her boss was an old class-

 _Oh._

Adrien stood abruptly in the middle of his bedroom, clutching at her phone for dear life, a lovesick grin spreading on his face.

It was _him._

Ladybug was in love with _him. MARINETTE LOVED HIM._

He ran his hand nervously through his hair, still trying to reign in all the implications of her double identity.

He needed to see her.

Rendered completely obvious to his surroundings by that sudden revelation, Adrien raced down his stairs for the second time that day. Somewhere along the afternoon, it had started pouring rain, but the young man never even realized it. He sprinted toward her apartment, hoping to catch up with her as soon as possible, not bothering to stop and take his car. He needed her. He needed to be there for her, to help her heal. She had been through so much all on her own, without anyone to fully rely on, without anyone knowing the whole truth. He made a vow then and there, as he ran blindly under the angry sky, to never ever let her down. To be by her side through everything, to love her till his last breathing.

He finally spotted the familiar lithe figure reaching her building, clutching her arms tightly around her chest like she was trying to prevent herself from falling apart into pieces. The rain had washed down the tears on her face, but her red and swollen eyes spoke volumes.  
"Marinette!"  
Startled, she looked up and her eyes widened as she saw him finally catching up with her, out of breath, clutching her phone desperately in his right hand. Frowning, she breathed softly:  
"Please tell me you didn't really run all the way here in the rain only to give me back my phone?"  
Ignoring her question, Adrien grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward him, firmly planting his gaze into hers, grassy green meeting bluebell once again. He was shaking uncontrollably but he didn't care the slightest:  
"I don't want to wait until we're thirty-five to be with you Marinette. I don't care how slow we'd have to go for us to work out, heck I don't even give a damn if we never go past the holding hands stage. I just want to love you."  
Confused, the young lady bore her gaze into his, searching for answers he was more than willing to give:  
"What? What did you just say?"  
His voice shaking, Adrien repeated softly:  
"I don't wanna wait until thirty-five. And I sure as hell don't want another woman to steal my heart away from you. Apparently, we need to have another conversation about our relationship as _co-workers_ , I'm still not convinced Plagg isn't possessed, and now I'm kinda mad you didn't elope with your so-called boss after all, but I do know that I love you. I love you, princess. You and only you."

He saw realization slowly filling her bluebell eyes as recognition dawned on her. She raised a tentative hand, caressing his cheek tenderly:  
"Chat?"  
Adrien nodded, a huge lump forming in his throat:  
"I'm sorry, my lady. I know you didn't want me to find you, but you forgot your phone at my place. When I texted Ladybug, your phone went off on my kitchen table."  
He saw her eyes filled with tears again and had to refrain himself from hugging her. The young man didn't even know if they were happy tears or not. Her hand still resting on his cheek, she closed her eyes, tears now freely streaming down her face through the rain.  
"You are really my kitty? Mon chaton?"  
Emboldened by her reaction to his revelation, more positive than he would've dared to dream of, Adrien rested his forehead against hers, ignoring the wet locks glued to theirs faces:  
"I am. Always been. Allow me to love you, Mari. Don't you see it? It's always been you, and only you. There has never been another woman in my heart. I've loved you ever since that blessed morning where you texted me by mistake at five a.m. And I've spent the last two weeks falling for you all over again."

Marinette kept her eyes closed as if she couldn't bear even looking at him. Shaking her head slightly, she whispered just barely loud enough for him to hear:  
"I don't… I can't…"  
The blond's heart was beating so hard it was almost painful. Covering the hand that was still lingering on his face with his own, Adrien reveled in her touch for a second.  
"I'm ready for anything if it means being with you, Mari. You can tell my anything. Tell me you're not ready and I'll wait all my life if it's what it takes."  
She still shook her head stubbornly:  
"That would be _so_ unfair to you."  
Adrien went on, ignoring her objection:  
"You can tell me that you're scared, and we'll work this out together, at your pace."  
"It's not that eas-"  
"But don't you dare tell me you don't feel the same about me. Don't tell me you don't love me, Mari, I won't believe you because I know you do."

Hearing those truthful words seemed to awaken something in Marinette. She opened her eyes, slowly, and sustained his loving gaze. She didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't try to remove her hand from his cheek. She just stood there, under the pouring rain, her forehead resting against his, both their hands on his face. He noted that her other hand was clutching desperately on his shirt as his was still holding her phone. They stood there a few minutes, looking into each other souls, searching for answers they were the only ones to hold.  
When Marinette spoke again, it was barely even a whisper:  
"I do love you. So much it terrifies me. But I don't know how…"

At that, Adrien didn't hold himself back anymore. He wrapped his arms around her into a tight embrace and buried his face in her damp hair:  
"I'd give anything to go back in time and fix that up. To somehow prevent this from happening to you. I know it won't be easy, but you _ARE_ so worth it, my lady. He stole so, so much from you, Mari. Don't let your fears steal your happiness too. If you do that, he wins."  
A single, broken sob escaped her lips, and Adrien tightened his embrace around her, gently stroking her back.  
"I'm not expecting anything from you, Mari. I'm willing to take whatever you're comfortable enough to offer me. I told you earlier, I'm fine with ever getting just to hold your hand. Just let me be there for you through hard times. That's all I'm asking for. I don't want you to be alone ever again. I want to protect you, to laugh with you. I want to share the good and the bad with you. I just want to be with that incredible, amazing, talented and beautiful girl you've taught me to love so much."

He kissed her temple, putting all the love he held for her into that simple kiss:  
"Just let me love you like we both need to."


	23. Chapter 23: Selfish (UNEDITED)

_**Fair warning, this chapter clearly depicts a rape.**_

 _ **Feel free to skip it if it hurts your feelings.**_

 _ **Also, this chapter has been incredibly hard to write. I told you a while ago that I wrote the "seven dates" chapter to take my mind off a really difficult chapter? Well, this is the one.**_

 _ **But it was necessary.**_

* * *

Adrien waited, holding her close to his heart, letting his sincere words sink in. The way the young woman was clinging onto him felt like he had finally got through her, like he had broken a wall of some sort between them. They stood there for a few minutes, standing in the pouring rain listening to each other's heartbeat, before Marinette finally wrapped her slender arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder in a fashion similar to the night he had carried her to her bed. He remembered, smiling faintly against the crown of her head, how little she had felt in his arms that night, and how she had trusted him blindly with her safety.

That's when it dawned on him.

She had always trusted him. From the very beginning, with them being little more than mere acquaintances from the past, she had trusted him as a friend all along.

It was her broken heart she had had to learn to trust him with.

She was still clinging to his neck, her nose buried in his chest, sobbing softly. He hugged the young woman even more tightly.  
"Let's get inside before you get sick, okay?"  
Since Marinette didn't answer nor react, he scooped her up in his strong arms and brought her upstairs without releasing his grip on her lithe body the slightest. Adrien only willed himself to put her down, reluctantly, when they reached her door so she could let them both in. He took in how miserable she looked, eyes swollen by the tears she had shed, her wet clothes clinging to her shivering body, her bottom lip quivering with pent-up emotions. She sustained the inquiring gaze as the blond breathed softly:  
"I mean every single word I said outside, Marinette."  
The young woman sat down on her couch, wrapping her arms around herself again, just like when he had found her in the rain:  
"I… I know you do."  
Adrien sat beside her, taking her hands into his:  
"Then why aren't you saying anything?"

The blackette shook her head, her eyes still full of shining tears:  
"You deserve way better than me, Adrien. I can't… I just can't let you do this."  
"Are you saying I don't deserve to be with the woman I love more than anything?"  
That seemed to bring down her walls a little further, as Marinette let him scoot a little closer to her on the now very wet couch:  
"Of course not. But I'm a mess, Adrien. I still have random panics attacks triggered by the stupidest things."  
He smiled at her sympathetically:  
"So? I'll be there right by your side to comfort you from now on, to help you overcome them."  
"I've always been alone, ever since… that. I don't know how to be in a healthy relationship."  
That time, Adrien shrugged a little more than necessary, trying to emphasize his point:  
"I've always been alone, period. We'll learn on to build this together, that's all."  
He could tell he was wearing her down slowly, inch by inch.  
"People are going to dig out my past if you get too involved in my life. Your father won't like all the publicity if they find-"  
"Is it because of the abortion? Adrien cut in, unable to bear her depreciating herself further. Because I swear to God Mari if you think any less of yourself because of that-"

She cut him short, horror clearly painted on her beautiful face:  
"What? How? I never told anyone about this…"  
Adrien's features softened considerably, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand:  
"You told Chat. On Alya and Nino's wedding night. You were drunk and asked me to call you. You began rambling before falling asleep, but I still caught the gist of it. When I found out you were... well, you, it all made sense."  
She backed up from him just as he had just kicked her in the stomach. Her greatest secret, one she had guarded jealously, was out in the open, and she was the only one to blame. The designer visibly couldn't bring herself to look at the man before her, couldn't bear to read pity in the familiar green eyes. Adrien felt his heart break a little further at the obvious shame in her her slumped shoulders, the sadness in the way her fingers twitched together. He tried to take them into his hands, to ease her nervousness:  
"I'm right here princess. You've been hurt, you've been through an awful lot alone, but you don't have to do this on your own anymore. It's okay."

She pried herself away from his touch:  
"No, it's not! You deserve way better than what I can offer you, Adrien. I'm broken. I just can't do this. It would be unfair to you."  
"You're far from broken, Mari. You're simply amazing, don't you see it? You're brave, kind, talented, gifted with an extraordinary imagination, loyal… You bring a ray of sunshine to every room you enter."  
"Adrien, I can't… You-"  
He cupped her cheek with his slender fingers, whispering softly:  
"Stop thinking about me. I'm a grown man and _I_ know what _Adrien Agreste_ want. Stop being so selfless. What about you? What does Marinette Dupain-Cheng want? Don't bother about my feelings or my hopes. Be selfish for once in your life. What is it that you _really_ want, princess?"  
Marinette lowered her eyes, biting her lower lip nervously.  
"You…" she breathed softly.

Adrien's eyes shot wide open hearing her answer. He had fully expected her to send him on his way and never ever wanted to speak to him again by then, which would have been well deserved by that point since he kept pushing her boundaries further and further trying to tear her barricades down. Marinette was still looking intently at the floor, though, nervously playing with her fingers, ignoring the way he was staring adoringly at her:  
"I want to. I want to try. But… I can't be with you… if you don't know…"  
He closed the distance between them on the couch, resting his hand on her knee reassuringly.  
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Mari. Your past is your past, it only belongs to you."  
She shook her head, eyes stubbornly closed on her bluebell irises.  
"No, I have to. Please. Otherwise, I'll always wonder if you'd left me should you found out."  
The young man squeezed her knee softly, trying to be as comforting as he could without overwhelming her.

Marinette took a deep breath, as if she was trying to gather her thoughts and then spoke softly:  
"Well, since I already told your alter ego all about it, there's no use trying to hide it from you. You probably already put two and two together already anyway. When we were in high school I used to have the biggest crush on you, and when you left for Toulouse I was utterly devastated. I hated myself for never having taken a chance and confess to you before it was too late. Nathanael took it upon himself to comfort me and help me get over you. One thing led to another, and soon enough, I had been dating him on and off for about six months and he began hinting constantly that he was ready to take our relationship to the next level. I wasn't. I just… I just wasn't sure yet I liked him enough for him to be my first, you know? I was still…" she blushed deeply, her thoughts trailing off. "I was still thinking an awful lot about you, Adrien, and it just didn't felt right. However, by that time Alya was more and more often spending the night in Nino's room and I felt terribly lonely, so Nate took a habit of sleeping with me when she wasn't there. Even though I never mentioned it to him, I knew he was cheating on me with Sabrina at that time, but I didn't mind that much since she was giving him something I wasn't ready to give yet and I wasn't that much in love with him anyway… One night-"

Her voice broke suddenly, and Adrien pulled her closer to him, snaking an arm around her shoulders, speaking in a comforting tone:  
"It's okay Mari, take your time. You don't have to go on if you don't want to."  
The young woman nodded gratefully and took a few seconds to compose herself before she went on, intertwining her fingers with his on her shoulder:  
"One night, Nate came in my room way later than usual and he was acting weird, slouchy movements and tumbling over stuff in my room. When he tried to kiss me I noticed that he disgustingly reeked of alcohol, and he kept rambling nonsense about how every guy on his floor was currently banging their hot girlfriends while his was a nothing but a fake bitch unable to admit she was still in love with someone else-"  
A single tear trailed down her cheek, and Adrien wiped it softly with his thumb. This seemed to prompt her to continue:  
"He scared me, so I asked him to leave me alone. It only angered him further… He… he was so much stronger than me, and… I just couldn't do anything to stop him… He tackled me on the bed and… I screamed and kicked as much as I could… but in the end, he managed to rip my pajama pants apart…"  
Marinette choked back on a single sob, and he drew reassuring circles on the small of her back, desperately trying to repress his own urges to go and hunt the redhead down. Marinette was finally coming out of her shell after all that time, and she needed him right then. When she spoke again, her voice was a little raw from the pain:  
"It hurt like hell, but even if I was crying and sobbing it… it didn't stop him… He-he only stopped and pulled out when he heard Alya's key in the keyhole…"  
She had a soft laugh, strangely out of place, but he understood that her emotions were all over the place and didn't mention it.  
"I don't think he was even conscious of being dragged half naked out of my room by an enraged Nino going all berserk on him all while Alya's kept shrieking at him like a harpy completely out of her mind… She kept asking me where I was hurt, if I was okay, how far he'd go… And I was feeling so filthy, so much soiled… I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth. So I lied."

For the first time ever since she had begun to talk, her cerulean blue eyes met his. He flinched a little, reading that much pain, that much sorrow in them, but he tried with all his might to let nothing of it show in his gaze. She needed him to be understanding, loving and accepting of all of her, horrifying past experiences included. Not pitying her. Marinette sustained his gaze, going on:  
"Three weeks later, I found myself a few days late on my period. I knew in my gut that something was wrong so I took a pregnancy test… It came out positive."  
Adrien cupped her cheek again with his right hand, lacing the fingers of the left with hers, never averting his eyes from hers:  
"I was alone and I was scared… I did the only thing I could think of at that moment… even if it truly broke my heart."

Choking back another sob, she brought up a hesitant hand to his face, gently tucking a strand of blond hair back:  
"You really want me to be selfish, Adrien?"  
He breathed quietly in answer, leaning in toward her so their lips were almost touching:  
"More than anything princess."  
Marinette closed her eyes, her fingers gently caressing the small patch of skin behind his ear.  
"Then erase his touch on my skin. Replace those horrible memories with new ones."

* * *

 _ **I'm truly heartbroken right now. I don't wanna go on a lecture or anything, but I have a beautiful five-year-old daughter, and the mom in me can't let this slip without putting in her two cents.**_

 _ **No matter who your partner is, a stranger, a lover, a boyfriend, heck even a husband, you have the right to say no at any given time. Before, halfway through, right before the finish line...**_

 _ **Your body belongs to nobody else but you.**_

 _ **Now I'm going to resume crying my heart out with my sweet Marinette.**_


	24. Chapter 24: Lovely symphony (UNEDITED)

_**Somewhat explicit scene ahead!**_

* * *

Part of Marinette had fully expected Adrien to back off in horror hearing her tale, what she truly wanted of him after hearing the disgusting nightmare that had been plaguing her nights for the past four years or so. That part of her was waiting for him to jump off her couch, to call off their partnership right there and then, retract himself on ever loving her revolting being and storm out the door to never being seen ever again by her bluebell irises. That part of her was what was making her shiver in anticipation, frightened as she realized just how bare she had laid her soul before him.

But the other part of her, the one that had learned to trust the young man over the course of the last two weeks, the one that wanted desperately to believe all the wonderful things he has confessed to her that day, the one that was still hanging on a little bit of hope, that part of her took control of her body and her heart at that precise moment.

Gathering all her courage, Marinette closed the few atoms still lingering between their skins and tenderly pressed her lips against his, too firmly for it to be an accident.

If at first Adrien tensed up at the sudden and unexpected movement, obviously caught off guard, he was quick to relax under her touch. He responded to her kiss cautiously, matching her pace without even slightly pushing to quicken it, and she felt all the respect and the tenderness he was trying to convey to her in their embrace shake her to her very core. Out their very own free will, her slender arms went up to snake themselves around his neck, pressing her damp body to his, virtually erasing any remaining distance between them. Marinette relished in the scent of his skin, in the taste and the softness of his lips, oddly feeling like his kisses were slowly stitching her damaged heart back up.

The young woman pulled back slightly, peppering kisses along the line of his jaw before dipping down his neck, nibbling softly at the tender skin. An astonished Adrien whispered quietly against her hair:  
"Are you really sure about this Mari?"  
She took a second to ponder his question. Was she sure she wanted to do this? If she were to be truly honest with herself, she was utterly petrified and genuinely believed her heart was about to jump out of her chest to put itself out of the misery of all the crazy beating he had been doing that day. But she also wanted so badly to be with Adrien, with Chat Noir, despite everything playing against them, she needed so desperately to stop once and for all associating all intimacy related topics with that dire and unfortunate night that had happened already more than four years earlier, that she resolved herself to dive in without holding back nevertheless.

Planting a soft peck on his jugular, she whispered gently with her lips still tasting his skin:  
"I am. Help me rewrite my story, Adrien. Touch me, please."  
Apparently, this was the green light, the authorization the blond had been waiting for. His hands suddenly seemed to come to life around her, delicately roaming her lithe figure still held tightly in his loving embrace with tentative and light caresses on her milky skin. Marinette felt herself shiver slightly under his touch, and he suspended all movement, looking at her worriedly:  
"Is this okay? Do you want me to stop?"  
Smiling lovingly at him, she placed a chaste peck on his already slightly swollen lips:  
"This is more than okay."  
Marinette went back for another taste of his kisses, lacing her fingers his the blond hair and slowly shifting her body beside him trying to find a more comfortable position for their tender embrace. Adrien seemed to read her thoughts as he pulled her into his lap without breaking the kiss, his hands lovingly stroking the small of her back.

The way their damp clothes were sticking at their skins began to annoy Marinette as she felt rather uncomfortable. Sighing, she pulled her Jagged Stone t-shirt over her head, tossing it into a corner of her living room before happily resuming kissing Adrien. Noticing he had stiffened a little at her sudden exposure of skin, the young woman explained quietly:  
"It was cold."  
"I see, Adrien chuckled. Mind if I take mine off too?"  
She shook her head smiling, staring in delight at his toned body as he proceeded. When he held her again, though, she noted that he kept his hands resolutely on her still clothed hips. Giggling softly and marveling at just how much he was trying to make things easy for her, the young woman took one of his hands and put it on her bare abdomen.  
"I meant it, Adrien. Touch me, please."

His fingers gently stroke her skin, drawing soothing circles on it as Marinette pulled him into another kiss. When she felt his hand carefully avoid the back of her bra, the young woman smirked against his lips and reached behind her, unclasping it for him and swiftly discarding the undergarment to be forgotten somewhere near the armchair. Still unsure, Adrien whispered softly against her skin before peppering light kisses on her neck:  
"Are you comfortable?"  
Marinette dug her fingers into his hair, gently scraping his scalp:  
"Can we take this to my room, chaton?"  
The blond nodded, his eyes never leaving hers as he got up from the couch, her long legs locking themselves behind his back as he did so. Adrien carried her to her bedroom, his green irises scanning the bluebell gaze searching for any sign that she had changed her mind. Marinette sighed contently, placing another kiss on his lips before reassuring him:  
"It's okay, Adrien. I want this. This feels right."  
The remaining still damp clothes were slowly, delicately removed from their flushed skins, the caresses becoming more and more insistent, more and more daring as they both began to feel comfortable with each other's very exposed body.

Adrien laid her down carefully on her bed and hovered over her, claiming her lips into yet another slow and gentle kiss. Soon enough, the little dim-lit bedroom was full of a lovely symphony reverberating on the walls. Half breathed laughs when clumsy limbs got in the way or one of them tickled the other involuntarily mixed with soft whimpers and airy moans when either of them found a sweet spot, a specific caress their partner particularly liked. Adrien's "I love you"s echoing again and again in her ears as he kept whispering it between every single kiss he pressed against her feverish skin overlapped with the sound his lips made as it connected with her skin again and again, every single inch of her skin as Adrien had seemed to have made it his mission to not let any part of her go unkissed. The barely whispered encouraging words she kept willingly offering him, giving him fuel to go further, to take another step, to tear another wall down mingled with the furious beating of their hearts thumping in rhythm into their chests.

When Adrien finally ever so carefully slid his length inside her, intently scanning her face for any sign of discomfort, Marinette felt her heart painfully swell in her chest with love for the young man. This was how it should have been: the awkwardness of their inexperience, the clumsiness of their unsure yet caring movements and above all, the infinite tenderness of the love radiating from both of them, lingering in every of their kisses, every single caress.

There was no fireworks nor mind blowing orgasms for either of them that night.

There were only a man and a woman picking up the pieces of their shattered hearts and clumsily gluing them together into something greater as they slowly made love to each other.

* * *

The next morning, Marinette woke up to the pleasant sensation of warmth pressed against her body. Memories of the night before flooded her mind still a little blurry from the sleepiness, filling her with contradictory emotions all at once. Fear, happiness, anxiety, love and many other things were tearing her conflicted heart apart.

Startled, the young woman suddenly felt something lightly brush her cheek and opened her eyes to meet the emerald gaze of Adrien turning into a sheepish expression:  
"Sorry princess, I didn't mean to wake you up."  
Marinette smiled at him warmly, bringing her own hand up to cup his cheek tenderly:  
"That's okay chaton. Good morning."  
He mirrored her gesture, putting his slender fingers back on her face, caressing the line of her jaw gently:  
"Morning Mari. How are you feeling?"  
"Honestly? Wonderful and terrified."  
Adrien leaned in slightly, giving her plenty of time to back off if she wanted to, and pressed his lips to hers, conveying as much of his love for her as he could in it. Marinette hummed faintly in appreciation, running her fingers through the soft blond hair yet again. She reveled into his slow kiss, happily kissing him back despite her lingering worries nagging her at the back of her mind.

When they broke apart, Marinette rested her head on his chest as she laid an arm over his stomach and closed her eyes, savoring the peaceful instant they got to share.  
"You know, if you had told fifteen-year-old Marinette that one day she'd wake up in your arms, she would have died from happiness right on the spot."  
He chuckled softly, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly. By that point, the sheets had slipped to rest on their hips, exposing their bare torsos to the bite of the ambient air, but neither of them minded.  
"I really wish I could go back in time and knock some sense into disgustingly oblivious fifteen-year-old Adrien."  
Marinette giggled hearing those words, marveling at just how sweet he was being to her. She couldn't resist teasing him a little:  
"And what does twenty-two-year-old-Adrien have to say on the matter?"  
The blond planted a quick peck on her lips and smiled at her through heavy-lidded eyes:  
"Only that I couldn't be happier we finally found each other. And that I love you, Mari."

Marinette felt his cheek rest on the top of her head, and she closed her eyes again. She basked in the warmth his body irradiated by her side, in how safe she felt tucked into his muscular arms, in the soothing sound of his beating heart lulling her into an half-asleep blissful state. The young woman hadn't lied when she had told Alya in what now seemed to be another life that she didn't need a man by her side to be happy. The only thing she needed to finally take the path to healing was someone that loved her and accepted her whole being despite knowing the entire very ugly truth and all its ramifications.

And apparently, Adrien was more than willing to fill those shoes for her.

They were so enthralled in each other's proximity, in the intimacy of their moment, that neither of them heard the apartment's door being unlocked and opened, nor the footsteps in the corridor. What they did hear, though, was the blood-curdling shriek that resonated loudly in the small bedroom:  
"OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED HERE?"

* * *

 _ **Next chapter wasn't planned in the original outline (that's the fourth, I'm truly hopeless).**_

 _ **Hope you enjoyed this one :)**_


	25. Chapter 25: Trainwreck (UNEDITED)

_**In** **which** **you guys understand why I've been bugging you with weekdays since the wedding...**_

* * *

Alya Césaire was many things. She was fierce, stubborn and passionate about the things she cared about. She was definitely a little nosy, accordingly a great asset when it came to her reporter job, and could be pinned as pretty obnoxious sometimes. But above everything else, she was as loyal as someone could get and was truly devoted heart and soul to the people lucky enough to be loved by her. And Marinette Dupain-Cheng was one of the persons she loved the most.

So, to say Alya was going mad with worry would've been the understatement of the year.

Every single day since she had become Mrs. Nino Lahiffe, she had regretted deeply the moment of madness that had prompted her to invite Nathanael to the ceremony. Nino had warned her, many times even, that this was a really bad idea. That no matter how Marinette claimed to be over that story, seeing him could bring back bad memories not worth the sacred goal of having the whole old class back together for a day. But had Alya listened to her now-husband? Of course not. Instead, she stubbornly went her way, convinced that reuniting the old class without any exception on her big day was the right thing to do.

And it had been all for nothing: of course, Nino had been right, again. Would she learn to listen to him someday?

Chloe hadn't bothered to show up at all, and Marinette hadn't taken too well the encounter with her ex-lover. Just like Nino, and any person with a functioning brain had predicted. Witnessing first hand the disaster she just had created, Alya had wanted nothing more than to dash to Marinette's flat and comfort her, right her wrongs, honeymoon be damned. But Adrien's unexpected offer to check up on her on her behalf had weakened her resolve, and in the end, she had caved into the boys' practical solution.

Only to regret it deeply not so much later.

"It's been an hour and a half, and all he has to say is that "She's okay"? What could have taken him an hour and a half to check up on her?"  
Nino had shrugged, burying himself into the reading of their itinerary for the hundredth time:  
"Honestly Alya, what did you want him to say? If you wanted a blood cell count, you should have specified it babe."  
Clenching her teeth, Alya had retorted:  
"Stop messing around with me. She's alive and well, thank you very much Adrien for that oh so valuable information. But is she upset? How much did she drink? Does she hate me?"  
Her husband had shut her up with a kiss by that point:  
"Stop worrying about it, babe. If my dude says she's okay, she's okay. Besides, he'll take care of her while we're gone and you know it. You'll ask all the questions you want when we get back okay? Let's just enjoy our honeymoon now, can we?"

* * *

Alya had truly tried to grant her new husband's wish.

She truly tried her best to avert her thoughts from her black haired friend and trust Adrien short and concise text to be as true as it could.

By Tuesday though she was desperately itching for news of her best friend.

By Wednesday, she couldn't hold herself back anymore and caved in, texting Marinette behind Nino's back.  
 _[Alya] Hey girl! Are you okay?_

The answer never came.

By Sunday, Nino had sighed in defeat.  
"Okay, call her babe, if you're that much worried about her. I swear she's fine, though. She's working with Adrien every day, he won't let anything bad happen to her on his watch."  
And Alya had grabbed the opportunity without being asked twice, dialing the young woman number eagerly only to be met with an electronic answering machine.

So much for reassuring her.

* * *

So, naturally, when they had set foot off the train the second Sunday after their wedding, Alya had made a beeline to Marinette's apartment, Nino's spare key in hand.  
"Babe, it's barely even seven o'clock. Mari's totally gonna kill you if you wake her up that early on a Sunday." her husband had warned her lovingly.  
"Don't care!"  
Seeing his wife disappearing at the corner of the street, Nino had sighed with a smile, pulling out his car keys.  
 _"Might as well wake up Adrien and make this a four-way reunion then."_ he had thought before driving to his best friend's place.

* * *

Like she had done countless times before, Alya had turned the key into the keyhole and let herself into her bestie's familiar apartment. She knew it by heart, so well that she could have navigated through it with eyes closed. Her footsteps had led her to Marinette's bedroom without any second thoughts, and she had pushed the door open fully ready to crawl into her best friend's bed to cuddle with her a few minutes before getting up for Nino's fresh croissants still warm from Tom and Sabine's bakery. After all, this was the tradition they had set up throughout the years. Every time she and Nino would come back from a trip, no matter how long the journey was, Alya would head straight to Mari's while Nino would grab a bite to eat at her parent's bakery for the three of them.

That day was different, though.

For that day, on her way back from a two-week way too long honeymoon, Alya couldn't crawl into her best friend's bed.

Because someone was already laying beside her in that bed.

Alya's shriek had truly had been involuntary. Seeing as both Marinette and Adrien had jumped upright hearing it, the former clutching the sheet to her bare breast desperately to keep a semblance of decency as the latter protested loudly seeing the sudden movement bared his glorious butt for the whole world to see, it made no doubt in Alya's mind that she had intruded on a rather intimate moment.

The three of them were still trying to process the aftermaths of the shock when Alya's _Facetime_ ringtone pierced the silence:  
"Sorry, babe, this is kind of not a good time to-"  
"Can you meet me at the police station?"  
Alya stuttered, staring blankly at his husband panicked face on her screen:  
"What? Why?"  
"Something bad happened to Adrien! Dude's door was left ajar, there's a half eaten pizza in the living room and his dumb ass is nowhere in sight. His phone was left on his bedroom floor, his keys and car are still here and-"  
"Don't worry babe, your stupid friend is safe… for now."  
The newlywed smirked widely before adding, rotating her phone halfway so Nino could see both their best friends in bed in all their naked glory:  
"Meet me at Marinette's?"  
"ALYA!" Marinette shrieked, flushing bright red while Adrien groaned loudly, falling back on the bed and covering his face with a pillow.

* * *

It took Marinette a good ten minutes to emerge from her bedroom, clad in a random band t-shirt and pink yoga pants. She was avoiding her best friend's questioning gaze, effectively delaying the interrogatory that was sure to come sooner or later. Alya watched warily, as the young lady seemingly absorbed herself into the task of fixing coffee for everyone. If she was to be perfectly honest, the brunette had to admit that Marinette was practically glowing. A faint smile kept dancing on her rosy lips, and there was definitely a spark in her bluebell eyes that wasn't there two weeks prior.

It took Adrien another ten good minutes to strut in the living room, wearing the freshly dried pants and t-shirt he had been wearing the day before. Alya was truly taken aback when she noticed the blond's face light up brightly at the mere sight of her friend, his emerald eyes instantly filling with sheer adoration when he spotted the blackette busy in the small kitchen. The way he looked at her with an infinite tenderness, the way his affections toward Marinette was almost palpable in the room felt even more intimate than the scene she had interrupted earlier.

Nino blissfully took that as his cue to arrive, snapping Adrien's attention back to his surroundings, dissolving the lingering tension in the small apartment.  
"Man, that cat of yours is insane. Almost mauled me to get some food."  
The blond laughed, fully agreeing with her husband statement. The green irises suddenly locked themselves with Alya's amber gaze, and the young man offered her a small, slightly sheepish smile. Nino put the paper bag he had been holding on the small table and all four of them happily dug into the bag of fresh pastries that Marinette's parents had, once again, insisted were on the house. The young designer distributed steaming cups of coffee before perching herself on the armrest of her couch, only a few inches away from Adrien.

Nino was the first to break the silence, asking the question that was burning his wife's lips:  
"So, does that mean you two are dating or what?"  
Adrien cast a sideways glance at the blackette besides him:  
"Seeing as she already knows my opinion on that matter, that depends on my lady's wishes."  
"To be honest, Marinette chuckled softly, there _has_ been an awful lot of dates in the last two weeks, so-"  
"What? Alya cut her, dumbfounded, how many dates are we talking about?"  
Their friends looked at each other briefly before Adrien smirked:  
"Well, if we count the pizza disaster of yesterday as one, that brings the total to eleven official dates."  
"What the hell happened while we were gone?"

Yet again, Alya saw her best friend locking eyes with the blond man sitting beside her, a fond smile spreading on both their faces:  
"I hurt his feelings assuming he was a womanizer."  
Adrien put his mug on the coffee table and rested his left hand on the blackette knee:  
"So she took me out on seven dates-"  
"Eight."  
"Right, sorry princess, Adrien laughed. Eight dates on the same day to make amends."  
"The next day I had my phone smashed under a car."  
"Which prompted me to snap rather badly at her out of nowhere."  
Marinette laughed, planting her loving gaze into Adrien's:  
"So naturally, I quit on the spot."  
"Since she wasn't coming back, I bribed her with an endless supply of caffeine and two other dates."  
"Which were dates number nine and ten, by the way."  
"Her way of apologizing for refusing to kiss me at the end of the tenth date was offering date number eleven."  
The blackette playfully nudged him on the arm:  
"Hey! We had previously agreed on that!"  
"Yeah, sure. So anyway, since I forgot to give her my address, I had to go and pick her up.  
"With two different shoes and looking like a big mess."  
"We had pizza and played video games all afternoon."  
"I left after kicking his ass yet again."  
"She forgot her phone, so I ran after her to give it back."  
"And here we are."  
Nino and Alya stared at them, genuinely dumbfounded:  
"Would you care to explain to us just how the trainwreck you just described ended up with you two in the same bed?"

Alya eyed the two young people sitting in front of her, very obviously head over heels for each other, unable to shake the feeling that something was amiss.  
"I thought you were over him?"  
Marinette looked at her this time, sustaining her amber gaze without faltering:  
"I am."  
"But-"  
"I'm over Perfect-Adrien, the blackette cut in, the kind and cute boy I put on a pedestal when I was fifteen. However, I'm nowhere near over the sweet dork that managed to make me fall for him lately."  
Alya once again was taken aback by the tenderness oozing from every single word her best friend said.  
"But-"  
Her husband hastily cut her in, eyes wide with realization:  
"Babe, I think they figured it out."  
"What? No way."

Sure enough, though, Marinette frowned as Adrien uttered, dumbfounded:  
"Wait, you guys knew all along?"  
Nino scoffed:  
"Please, give us a little credit. Both our best friends had a secret texting best buddy. It wasn't that hard to connect the dots."  
"Why didn't you say anything?"  
Alya shrugged:  
"We figured you two would come around eventually. And Mari wasn't too receptive about breaking the secrecy so…"  
The blackette had a sheepish smile, before she let herself slide from the armrest into Adrien's lap. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling his nose in her hair. They looked natural together, like two missing pieces of a puzzle, and Alya had to admit that Adrien seemed to soothe the young woman in a way nobody else ever achieved to. Smiling widely, Alya nodded before taking a sip of her coffee:  
"Alright then. Mama Alya approves."


	26. Chapter 26: Little things (UNEDITED)

_**Im** **/explicit sexual content.**_

* * *

The first week they were dating, Adrien and Marinette truly tried to take things slow.

Their work dynamic hadn't changed much, Adrien still providing the very much needed caffeine every single morning without fail, before burying himself under numbers and plannings while Marinette went straight to her drawing table or her sewing machines. They fully intended to keep their budding romance out of prying eyes at Agreste, and mostly succeeded. If someone really paid close attention to their interactions, though, they might have figured it out. It was little things that could give them away, really. The way Adrien's hand always found its place on the small of her back every time he opened a door for her. The way Marinette would absentmindedly fix his tie as they waited for the elevator. The way then acted so comfortably around each other all of a sudden. They weren't hiding their relationship, for it was nothing to ashamed of, but they weren't ready to broadcast it. Not yet.

Behind the closed doors of their office, things weren't that much different. They both remained, for the most part, professional, focusing entirely on successfully bringing their collection to life. Truth be told, though, there was a lot more tender glances exchanged throughout the day, and their skins had taken a steady habit of brushing against each other whenever they came close. If Marinette exited the room to get fabric, she would rest her hand on his shoulder for the shortest time, merely reminding him of her presence. Should Adrien come close to her to discuss a design or a fabric choice, he would wrap an arm around her waist, or put a hand on her hip while they talked.

Every evening, when they called it quit for the day, they would leave together and have dinner at either of their places. They talked a lot, learning to know each other even more than they already did. On Wednesday, Nino and Alya joined them for dinner at Adrien's apartment, giving the perfect excuse to Marinette for putting her lover's dream kitchen to good use. The night was spent in a comfortable conversation, their friends telling them their honeymoon tales and the new couple explaining to greater lengths how in the world they ended up together. When the newlyweds left, Adrien could swear he heard Nino whisper not so subtly to his wife about how he and Marinette looked like husband and wife material.

On Friday night, after a quiet evening watching some anime on Marinette's couch after treating themselves to Chinese takeout and wine, Adrien checked the time on his phone and sighed:  
"It's getting late, I should go."  
The blackette buried her nose in the crook of his neck, whining softly:  
"I really hate this part of the night. I wish you could stay."  
Smiling tentatively, the blond whispered in her ear:  
"I could if you want me to, princess."  
"Then stay with me mon chaton."

* * *

By the end of the second week, they had yet to spend a night apart.

If Adrien had previously thought that basically living with someone else would be a huge step in a relationship, he quickly found that with Marinette, it was nothing but natural. Being with her almost twenty-four/seven wasn't a burden on him nor affecting their relationship negatively. Her daily habits fitted his quite nicely, without either of them having to really make a compromise on anything. She loved to cook for them, and he was quite happy of cleaning up after her if it meant homemade food in his plate. They had almost the same sleeping schedule, although Adrien being a way earlier bird than her. They didn't mind it too much, though, as it gave plenty of time to the young man to fix them breakfast before waking her up as he genuinely enjoyed to do every morning, and she appreciated not having to worry about oversleeping again. True, Adrien snored and it had taken Marinette a few nights to adjust, but she had a tendency to hog the blankets whenever she was sleeping soundly, so he counted them as even.

By Friday though, as it was the third morning they had to stop by her place on their way to work for the sole purpose of feeding a rather lonely ginger ball of fur, Adrien couldn't help himself but sigh as Marinette climbed back in his car:  
"Mari, wouldn't it be easier to move her at my place?"  
"Adrien, I don't know if-"  
"You prefer cooking in my kitchen, and you prefer my bed, your words, not mine. I'm not asking you to give up your apartment, not yet anyway. But she'd be less lonely in my flat, she'd have Plagg to keep her company while we're at work, and-"  
"Okay," the young woman breathed softly. "You're right, they'll both be less lonely that way. We'll move her tonight."  
"Sounds good to me, my lady."

That's how Adrien and Marinette found themselves crouched in the blond's apartment one late Friday night, watching warily as Tikki slowly came out of her crate and began exploring the flat. Adrien had never bothered to get Plagg neutered since he was living alone and the old cat wasn't going outside at all, so they fully expected him to get a little territorial with the small kitten, as least at the beginning. What they didn't saw coming, though, was Tikki hopping into the dryer and curling up against the grumpy black cat, falling asleep on the spot. Plagg had opened an eye, looked at the newcomer briefly before returning to his peaceful slumber without even twitching a paw. Grinning, Adrien muttered to his equally stunned girlfriend:  
"I think he just adopted her."  
Marinette chuckled:  
"Plagg the possessed cat has a soft spot after all. Who knew?"

* * *

The third week marked a turning point in their relationship.

Adrien had known from the beginning that sex would be the tricky part of their relationship, and he had been honest with her when he had stated that he didn't mind the slightest. Marinette, on the other hand, was very adamant that she at least wanted to try. So they kept trying per her wishes, ever so slowly easing into it. With every time they were intimate, they gradually began to know each other bodies better and feel more comfortable with it. Adrien was also starting to feel more at ease with her, didn't feel the need to ask for permission before each and every single move anymore.

On her part, Marinette was relaxing more and more with every attempt they made, and she actually began to feel waves of pleasure building up when they made love. It started small, at first, a pleasant sensation pooling up into her core though never becoming overwhelming. But gradually, and with Adrien patient and constant love, she ended up relaxing enough to really enjoy herself. When the young blackette finally let go of her apprehensions enough to let the waves of pleasures wash over her, she was rewarded with her very first orgasm, ending up breathless and shivering into Adrien's arms. It left them both grinning uncontrollably to the point of their cheeks hurting because they both were very aware of all its implications. There was still hope for them, for a normal relationship free from the clutches of the past.

The next day, Adrien really had trouble keeping his hands off her. He couldn't stop thinking about the night before, about the wonderful sounds she had made as she had reached her climax, about how she had felt around him. It was distracting him from his work, and he kept looking up at her, his heart ready to burst in his chest from his affections toward his amazing girlfriend. Being with her fixed his love-thirsty soul, and he knew that she was feeling the same.

When Marinette had called him over her workstation, the blond had been rather happy to oblige. Enlacing her lithe body from behind, he rested his chin on her shoulder, wrapping his arms around her waist. The young woman reached for his hair for a second, scraping his scalp briefly before pointing out the flaws in her design that were bothering her. How long they stayed in that position discussing the design and the alterations that she could make, he couldn't tell, but too soon for his taste they were startled by someone loudly clearing their throat behind them.

Spinning on his heels, Adrien found himself facing none other than Gabriel Agreste, an amused smirk dancing on his lips:  
"Am I interrupting, Adrien?"  
Blushing furiously, the young man stuttered:  
"Y-No! I mean, hello, father."  
The designer took a step forward, examining the design Marinette was currently working on:  
"The collar is wrong. And satin would be better for the sash."  
Beaming, Marinette grinned through her blush:  
"See Adrien? Told you so!"

Ignoring the young woman, Gabriel went on, analyzing the mock-ups laid up on the mannequins. After a few minutes of a really heavy silence spent exchanging worried glances between him and Marinette, Adrien saw with relief his father return his attention to them:  
"This is good. I like the theme you went with, it's daring and refreshing. Miss Dupain-Cheng, your designs are exquisite. Are they all under budget?"  
The blond nodded:  
"The final product will be affordable for teenagers like we aimed to. We had to compromise on some fabric choices to pull it off, but I like to think we did a pretty good job for it."  
His father nodded briefly.  
"I agree. I look forward to seeing the rest of the collection."  
Turning around, he headed toward the door, before pausing momentarily:  
"Oh, and Adrien? I'm relieved to see you pick your ladies very well."

A second later he was gone, leaving a dumbfounded young couple in his trail.

* * *

The fourth week, Adrien and Marinette had to come to the decision of having Tikki spayed. Plagg was too old to undergo such an invasive intervention, and they really didn't want to end up with an unexpected litter of kittens should the old grumpy cat take and odd interest in the younger female.

The vet appointment was made, and a really emotive Marinette dropped her kitten off one night. When she slid back beside Adrien in the car, she looked at him with her beautiful bluebell eyes full of tears:  
"Why do I feel like I have just abandoned my baby?"  
Smiling reassuringly, Adrien gently patted her knee:  
"Don't worry princess, it's a routine operation for them, they do dozens of them every day. Tikki's gonna be just fine."  
Marinette simply nodded, looking in the distance, missing her kitten already. She couldn't wait to be the next day when they were supposed to pick her up after her intervention.

Adrien volunteered to go and fetch the kitten the day after, as he had to swing by their office to get some papers anyway. As he had figured, the small ball of fur was doing pretty good and was already trying to get herself into trouble when he arrived at the vet's office, bugging bigger pets than her.  
"Come here Tikki, mama misses you a lot."  
That statement, along with the sight of no one other than Adrien Agreste tenderly cradling a small kitten in his arms earned him odd stares from the vet and her assistant, but the young man simply ignored them. He paid the bill and put Tikki in her crate, eager to get home.

Ten minutes later, he pushed his apartment door, his girlfriend's kitten sound asleep in the crook of his arm:  
"Princess, we're home!"  
Seeing as no answer came, Adrien started to feel uneasy. He quickly checked the living room, scanned the kitchen, but Marinette was nowhere in sight.  
"Mari? Where are you Bugaboo?"  
Ignoring the feeling of dread pooling into his gut, he pushed his bedroom door open.

Standing still in the middle of the room, her beautiful face covered with tears streaks, Marinette had a hand clasped on her mouth. The other one was clenched around the TV remote. She had changed into her pajamas, and it was clear she was heading to bed after she'd turned on the television. But what was on at that precise moment had stopped her dead in her tracks.

Adrien read the news headlines quickly before crossing the room as fast as he could, turning off the offending television and scooping her up in his arms, hugging her as tightly as he could.  
 _"Fuck."_ was the only thing that crossed the blond's mind.


	27. Chapter 27: On my watch (UNEDITED)

_**Quite short, but it's merely a transition chapter.**_

 _ **You guys had the best hypothesis about this chapter, I loved each one! And I love each and every one of you for sticking up with me!**_

* * *

And to think her day had begun so well.

Adrien had taken it upon himself to wake his girlfriend up on their day off ever so gently, peppering her face and neck with feather light kisses. He rarely was the one to initiate any form of affection bolder than small touches between them, so Marinette had made a point to revel in his touch, and answer every single kiss with one of her own. Relaxing into their free Saturday morning together, they both let the temperature in the room rise slowly, their caresses becoming more and more urging, and Marinette had ended her perfect morning so far losing herself into Adrien's tender lovemaking, finally understanding first hand what all the rage about "morning sex" was and why Nino and Alya wouldn't shut the hell up about it.

Once they finally managed to get out of the bed after an intense session of post-ecstasy cuddling spent giggling, kissing and talking about sweet nothings, Adrien had left her for his daily jogging. A boldness she didn't know she had in her had prompted Marinette to tease her lover about better ways to spend his pent up energy, and she had been rewarded with the very single sight of Adrien Agreste leaving in his sports attire with a definite pink blush spread on his cheeks.

Left on her own in Adrien's apartment, Marinette had treated herself to a long, nice and hot shower, effectively hogging all the hot water for herself and making Adrien whine to no end about the involuntary cold shower he had to take when he had come back from his run panting and sweaty. They then spent the afternoon in a comfortable silence, Adrien reading some obscure novel on one end of the couch while Marinette was curled up on the other end, hunched over herself as she was concentrated deeply on the not-so-blank-anymore page in her beloved sketchbook, her pencil gliding effortlessly on the paper. After a while, curious, Adrien had peeked over her shoulder, lifting an eyebrow in disbelief:  
"Is it supposed to be me?"  
Giggling softly, Marinette had retorted with a shy smile:  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
"Why did you draw me cat ears then?"  
Stealing a soft peck of his unexpected lips, she had answered coyly:  
"Because you're my chaton, why else?"  
He had laughed heartily hearing her candid reply, and had planted a soft peck on her cheek before returning to his book.

She was happy.

Even as Adrien had left her after a quiet but lovely dinner to retrieve a newly spayed Tikki from the vet as well as some papers he had forgotten at Agreste, she had gladly taken that time on her own to change into her pajamas and fix herself a nice hot chocolate, fully intending on crawling into the huge and comfortable bed and watch a few episodes of her favorite show while waiting for him to return.

That's when she had turned on the television in Adrien's bedroom.

At first, she had been too focused to shooing a rather reluctant Plagg away from her side of the bed to fully catch what the news anchor was talking about. The young woman had finally succeeded after a lot of coaxing and heavy pettings in pushing the old grumpy cat on Adrien's side on the bed and had eagerly grabbed the remote to navigate through her lover's DVR. Frowning a little before the way too complicated device as she searched for the correct menu, some keywords from the news anchor speech finally imprinted themselves in her mind.

Rape.

Shame.

Teenager.

Despair.

Eiffel tower.

Tragedy.

Marinette's attention fully returning to the newscast, she closed up the distance between her and the screen. She was adamant she knew that young teenager from afar, her face was very familiar to her. No older than sixteen, it was bound to be one of Manon's classmates, the kid she used to babysit when herself was a teenager. The woman on TV went on again, stating just how tragic it was that someone so young had had her life stripped away from them, that she had felt enough despair following her sexual aggression and ensuing unwanted pregnancy that the only solution had been to launch herself from the Eiffel tower.

The young woman's head began to spin, as what the newscast was really about sunk in. Her free hand clasped on her mouth trying to repress the horror scream threatening to escape her lips while the other one held on the remote desperately, as it somehow held the power to change what had happened.

To make things right again, if not for her at least for the young victim.

To save her life.

Knowing that a small, poor, innocent and helpless teenager had suffered the same terrible and uncalled for fate as she had a few years back made a wave of guilt rush over Marinette's heart. Way too young, abused by her boyfriend, left behind pregnant and shameful. Left without any option besides trying to cope with all of this.

Marinette knew all too well how the young victim had felt. She had felt the same way, too often for her to admit it out loud. Hating yourself for being too weak to stop your boyfriend. Hating your body for being soiled, broken beyond repair, and betraying you by conceiving a child out of an act of hate instead of an act of love. Being convinced without the shadow of a single doubt that never again a man would look twice at you without seeing anything else than your blatant flaws. Believing that life wasn't worth the trouble anymore. It was often in the aftermaths of a particularly nasty panic attack that she thought like that, before the world began to make some sense again that she felt she should just end things off. That's only then that she'd allowed herself to think about how it would be easier to end the pain here and then for once and for all.

To surrender.

It had always remained nothing but a faint fantasy, an idea she couldn't bring herself to act upon no matter how it would be easier to her. After all, despite her gruesome past, she still had both her families supporting her no matter what, even if they only had half-truths to understand what was going on. The family she had been born into and the one she had chosen. Her parents, Alya and Nino were the reason she had kept fighting despite everything, the reason she stubbornly refused to give anything more than second thoughts to any suicidal ideas that brushed her badly bruised mind every now and then.

It felt like an eternity, staring at the news headlines while trying to suppress the emotions menacing to overwhelm her at any given time. Guilt washed over her even harder than before, making her breathing superficial and labored. If only she had spoken back then, maybe this girl wouldn't have felt alone and filthy to the point of taking her own life. If only Nate had had to face the consequences of his despicable actions, maybe that young man wouldn't have felt the right to do it too. Marinette stood there in the middle of her lover's bedroom, unable despite her best efforts to think clearly through the tsunami of emotions submerging her without mercy.

Through her catatonic state, she faintly registered Adrien shouting blurred words through the apartment, the bedroom door being slammed opened, a breathless huff before the TV being turned off. Muscular arms wrapping themselves tightly around her and a familiar, soothing voice whispered into her ear:  
"I'm here Princess. I'm right here by your side and I won't go anywhere unless you want me to."  
She hadn't even realized she was crying before feeling his thumbs gently wiping her cheek, his beloved green eyes full of worry. That's when her knees finally gave out, her legs buckling up under her. Adrien held her, supported her weight in his arms and let them both sink to the floor slowly. She looked at him, her anchor to sanity, her strength through tough times, her smile through happy ones. The familiar grassy irises were full to the brim of worry, while the lips she knew to be soft as can be were visibly trying to stretch into a reassuring smile. Herself trying to calm her rambling mind down, Marinette closed her eyes and rested her forehead on her lover's chest, seeking the sense of safety he never failed to give her.

The young woman didn't how long they stayed like that, Adrien kneeling on his bedroom floor with her held tightly in his lap, his arms wrapped securely around her. One of his hand kept drawing reassuring circles on her back while the other softly cradled her head against his chest. Marinette let the steady beating of his heart calm her down along with the kind word he kept whispering in her ear. She forced herself to focus solely on his voice, the sweetness of it, the love he poured in his whispers:  
"It's okay love, I'm right here. You're safe. No one will hurt you here. I love you Marinette. I won't go anywhere without you. You're my heart and soul. I'm here. You're safe. I love you so, so much, Marinette."

As her breathing slowly came back to a normal pace, Marinette began to feel an odd anger flare up in her chest without warning. She was way beyond tired of living in fear of the next anxiety attack. She was tired of being randomly triggered by things beyond her control. Most of all, she was exhausted of letting what Nathanael had done to her dictate the way she went on with her life. The teenager on the news had given up on ever healing, on getting better one day, and the young designer refused to even consider doing the same. She wanted to heal, to have a normal life, maybe a family of her own someday.

If only to show the path to other girls that would get hurt in the future, that they had nothing to be ashamed of.

If only to teach to young men that they have no rights using their girlfriend's bodies as they want.

Deep inside, Marinette knew without a doubt what she had to do.

She needed a long overdue closure to be able to go on with her life without her past holding her back, to finally turn the page on those gruesome events still plaguing her years after. Finally regaining enough composure to think clearly, she reached a decision. With her big bluebell eyes pouring into her lover's green gaze questionably and the beating of her heart going crazy against his own steady beat, she simply asked in a mere whisper, knowing he'd hear her no matter what:  
"Adrien, do you think it's it too late to press charges against Nathanael?"  
Adrien sighed in relief as he kissed the crown of her hair, hugging her even tighter than before:  
"Never on my watch, bugaboo."


	28. Chapter 28: Testimony (UNEDITED)

_**I KNOW that a month isn't a realistic delay for a trial to take place.**_

 _ **However, I needed that out of the way rather quickly for the rest of the fic to take place. So let's just agree that money and the Agreste name is enough to make anything happen, even a rape trial happen in merely four weeks.**_

 _ **Alright folks?**_

* * *

A month.

Four little weeks.

It's all it took to the lawyer Adrien had hired to bring Marinette's case to court. Of course, being an Agreste definitely had its perks, and the young man had enlisted without any second thought the best attorney available specialized in sexual crimes. It didn't hurt that said attorney was defiantly ruthless and had sympathized with Marinette right from their first meeting. She had made this case her own personal crusade and wasn't going to let Nathanael walk from court unscathed if it was the last thing she was to do in her career.

The day of the trial came faster than either of them was prepared to, but Marinette assured him many times that it was more than fine. She was way beyond eager to put that story behind her and finally be able to start anew, with him. So they found themselves on a cold Monday morning sitting side by side in a full to the brim courtroom, Marinette's parents sitting at her left, and Alya and Nino silently taking place at his right. Both couples had been elated that the young woman had finally decided to press charges against her aggressor, and had thanked Adrien many times over the course of the last four weeks, perfectly aware that he was more than likely the one that had finally pushed her over the edge.

The attorney he had hired, Ms. Goldenberg, stood confidently and walked up to the judge, clearing her throat loudly, snapping his attention back to what was currently happening:  
"Your Honor, in the case of Miss Dupain-Cheng against Mr. Kurtzberg, I intend to prove that my client had been sexually assaulted by the defendant on the evening of April 4th, 2012, and has been suffering from anxiety disorders ever since, reflecting negatively on her day to day life."  
Adrien felt Marinette's slender fingers squeezing his lightly. They both knew what was coming, and they knew their friends and her parents wouldn't like it.  
"Please proceed." asked the judge, tranquil authority oozing out of every single pore of his skin.  
"The plaintiff has been badly traumatized after the events we are talking about, so I took the liberty of videotaping her testimony so she wouldn't be overwhelmed by the emotions in court and leave out important elements due to the stress. Do you accept this filmed testimony, your Honor?"  
"Do the opposition have any objections?"  
"I don't mind," breathed Nathanael softly, and that's only then that Adrien noticed the blatant absence of a lawyer by his side. Why in the world was he representing himself? Did he have a death wish?

Marinette's attorney pressed a button on the projector, and suddenly his girlfriend beautiful face was displayed on the big screen behind the judge, who had to twist in his chair to look at it. Adrien didn't listen to the testimony, it was more or less the same story she had told him on the night they first kissed, and he was more interested in supporting her through what he knew was a very difficult step for her. Up to that very second, he had been the only breathing being aware of her secrets, along with Ms. Goldenberg who had been a real sweetheart about the whole ordeal, never pressuring Marinette into giving details she wasn't too keen on sharing. Surprisingly enough, he found the blackette's face remaining stern through hearing her testimony, her bluebell irises looking intently at their intertwined fingers in her lap. Casting a curious glance to Nathanael, the blond model was startled to notice the redhead seemed positively horrified hearing what he had done to his former girlfriend. Just how intoxicated had he been that dreadful night to not even remember his actions?

As soon as the screen went black, the room started to buzz with shocked whispers. Alya and Marinette's mother were quietly crying, while Nino and her dad looked ready to pounce on Nathanael and rip his head off. Adrien chuckled to himself lightly, thinking about how he wouldn't mind giving them a hand for that.  
"Order in my court," the judge demanded, effectively silencing the room. Ms. Goldenberg powered off the projector and turned to the assembly.  
"I call Mr. Nino Lahiffe to the stand."  
With shaky legs, Nino stood up and went to the small stall.  
"Mr. Lahiffe, do swear to speak the truth and only the truth?"  
"I swear," answered the young DJ without hesitation.  
"Please state your name and your link to Miss Dupain-Cheng to the court,"  
"I'm Nino Lahiffe. I'm also Marinette's best friend's husband and one of her closest friends."  
"Alright, replied softly Ms. Goldenberg, can you tell us what happened on the evening of April 4th, 2012?"  
Gulping, Nino cast a nervous glance at him, and Adrien simply smiled reassuringly. It wasn't that hard, after all. All he had to do was tell the truth.

And Nino went on, recalling the events of that dreadful night. He spoke about how Alya wanted to check on Marinette before going to bed, because she had an odd feeling she needed to, about how they found the blackette sobbing and trying to kick her redhead boyfriend off her, about how he had dragged his half-naked sorry ass down the hall, never minding their peers curious glances.  
"I have no further questions," Ms. Goldenberg spoke softly when Nino had reached the end of his testimony. Smiling reassuringly at him, the attorney then spoke firmly:  
"I call miss Alya Césaire to the stand."  
Alya stood up, visibly shaken up, and made her way to the testimony booth. Marinette's lawyer asked her questions, almost identical to the ones she had asked from Nino, and Alya answered as well as she could. It was obvious even to an outsider that the brunette was upset, that she had trouble to compose herself.

"Please state your name and your link to Miss Dupain-Cheng to the court," asked again kindly Marinette's attorney. Her voice shaking with pent-up emotion, Alya softly uttered:  
"I'm Alya Césaire. I've been Marinette Dupain-Cheng's best friend ever since we were fifteen years old."  
"Alright. What happened on April 4th, 2012?"  
Hazel eyes found Marinette's blue gaze, seeking reassurance. When his girlfriend managed to utter a shy smile, Alya seemed to find the courage she needed in it:  
"Marinette had been complaining for a few weeks that her boyfriend was acting kind of pushy with her. I couldn't bring myself to go to sleep without assuring myself that she was okay first, so my long term boyfriend and I headed back to the room I shared with Marinette before going to bed."  
Ms. Goldenberg piped up:  
"Up to that night, did you trust Mr. Kurtzberg with miss Dupain-Cheng safety?"  
Alya's soft smile faltered:  
"Marinette always held really strong feelings toward another of our fellow classmates, Adrien Agreste. I know for a fact that it was badly bothering Nathanael. He spoke about it many times with me or my husband. He really did try his best to take Adrien's place in Marinette's heart, but he just couldn't live with the fact his girlfriend harbored feelings for another man than him.  
"Does it justify Nathanael's actions on April 4th, 2012 to you?"  
The brunette shook her head vehemently:  
"Nothing could justify doing what he did to her. He took her virginity without even bothering to ask, he forced himself upon her and ruined any other following sexual encounter for her."

Ms. Goldenberg smiled softly:  
"Thank you, miss Césaire. I have no further questions."  
The lawyer pulled out a manila folder as Alya regained her seat, presenting it to the judge.  
"This, your Honor, is Miss Dupain-Cheng medical file from the abortion clinic she went to. That type of clinic is sadly used to deal with cases like this one, therefore they tend to annotate the files thoroughly. The doctor who proceeded to the intervention on the plaintiff noted still healing internal wounds as well as the presence of fading bruises on her thighs. He also documented that his patient refused to speak about what happened to her and was very insistent on going through the procedure alone, even if it's heavily recommended to be accompanied."  
The judge took a look at the medical file before passing it along to the jury.  
"I have no further elements to bring to your attention, your Honor."

Straightening in his chair, the man cast a stern glance at the room, before looking directly at Nathanael:  
"Very well. The court is ready to hear the defendant's testimony. Mr. Kurtzberg, I believe you are going to represent yourself?"  
Nathanael nodded as he stood up, very visibly gulping, and Adrien could swear there were tears streaks on the redhead's cheeks.  
"I can't testify, your Honor."  
Frowning, the judge leaned in:  
"Would you please clarify your statement to the court?"  
Looking down, Nathanael spoke again in a broken tone:  
"I can't testify because I don't remember anything of that night. I remember being angry with her and drinking way too much, but anything after that is a complete blank."  
He gulped again, and this time Adrien was sure there were tears rolling from now closed eyes :  
"I'm sorry Marinette. I'm really sorry."

The judge's tranquil voice broke the heavy silence that followed Nathanael's half confession:  
"I think we can now let the jury deliberate."  
The jury deliberated for less than fifteen minutes. They came back with stern faces, stating that the vote was unanimous. The judge spoke, the crowd instantly and effectively silenced:  
"Members of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"  
The jury spokesman stood and said:  
"Yes, your Honor, we have."  
The judge then asked,  
"Members of the jury, on the case of miss Dupain-Cheng vs. Mr. Kurtzberg, what do you say?"  
The Jury Spokesman cleared his throat before pronouncing,  
"Your Honor, the members of this Jury find the defendant guilty of first-degree sexual assault."  
Loud conversation burst out within the room. The judge had to bang his gavel several times before there was peace again.  
"Order, order in my courtroom." He said in a stern voice.  
"It is time." The judge said this statement with finality. "I will now pass sentence of the verdict. I agree with the jury on the verdict of guilt, and hereby sentence Nathanael Kurtzberg to five years in prison, without any possibility of parole before three years."

Adrien watched, stunned beyond words, as a resigned Nathanael held his wrists up for the security guard to handcuff him. There was no anger on his face, no fear. Just an infinite sadness and obvious shame at his unspeakable actions. The blond felt Marinette's slender fingers slip into his, squeezing his hand slightly. Looking at her quizzically, he found her smiling softly:  
"Thank you."  
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and brought her hand up to softly kiss her knuckles:  
"Anything for you, my lady."

The courtroom was now slowly emptying itself, as Ms. Goldenberg walked up to them to congratulate them warmly on their victory before taking her leave. Tom Dupain suggested tentatively that they all should head to the bakery for a celebratory meal, and when his impromptu plan was met with shy smiles from everyone, they agreed wholeheartedly. They all could use some comfort after the day's events and revelations.

Twenty minutes later, Adrien was parking his car in front of his girlfriend's parents bakery, worried about his lady's sudden silence:  
"Mari, are you okay?"  
Her blue eyes met his, and she shrugged softly:  
"I honestly don't know. All of this time, and he didn't even _know._ He destroyed my life and he doesn't even remember it."  
The blond smiled at her reassuringly:  
"It's over now. You can be proud of you Marinette, what you did was really brave."  
The young woman averted her gaze from him, suddenly looking uneasy as they reached the bakery's door:  
"I just hope your father won't mind the negative press too much."

Alya's somewhat amazed voice interrupted them as they stepped in the small and warm shop:  
"Somehow I highly doubt about that being an issue at all."  
"What? Why do you say that?" Adrien heard himself ask.  
"Just look," the brunette replied as she put her phone into Marinette's hand, pressing the play button.

On the small screen was now displayed the unmistakable face of Gabriel Agreste, who had more than likely been hunted down by hungry media at the exit of Agreste offices. A very forward and insolent reporter shamelessly shoved her microphone in front of the older man's face:  
"Mr. Agreste, what are your thoughts on your newest intern bringing her ex-boyfriend to court on rape assumptions?"  
The designer stopped dead in his tracks hearing the rather prodding question he was asked:  
"My son's girlfriend is an amazing designer and an overall incredible young woman. Bringing her aggressor to court was a very brave thing for her to do and she has my whole and complete support through this unfortunate ordeal."  
A stunned silence welcomed Gabriel's words before another reporter tried shyly:  
"I'm sorry sir, did you say your son's girlfriend?"  
Sighing heavily, Adrien's father looked at the media amassed before him before speaking again:  
"Miss Dupain-Cheng is indeed Adrien's girlfriend. They have been friends for a very long time but working together visibly brought them closer. However, I insist on the fact that I, as well as all Agreste's staff, stand behind her through those tough times. In fact, I'm really proud to announce that half of the profits on the upcoming teenage line she is currently working on will be donated to an organization working toward helping sexual abuse victims."

The remaining of Gabriel speech was lost on both of them.

In a few sentences, Adrien's father had managed to salvage Marinette's career in the fashion industry, out them as a couple to the whole world and take a rather clear position on sexual crimes.

The video was short, barely even lasting five minutes, but it was heavily emotionally charged for both of them. Adrien couldn't believe how supporting his father was acting to Marinette's past, very publicly approving of not only their relationship but also the lawsuit resulting from her painful past.

Smiling broadly at his girlfriend, the blond former model pulled her into a tight hug:  
"It's over princess. It's really over." he whispered softly into her ear, willing all his love for her in those breathed words.

* * *

 _ **Fun fact: I actually googled Paris' sexual abuse specialized lawyers to get a name. So Nina Goldenberg is an actual lawyer in Paris.**_


	29. Chapter 29: Emotional (UNEDITED)

Marinette and Adrien had both been fully expecting a storm of hate mail following his father unfortunate statement to the media. Gabriel had apologized for his mistake afterward, but that didn't change the fact that Adrien Agreste was now officially off the market, and his fanbase couldn't possibly be happy about that. Right?

What they had _not_ expected, though, was the incredible amount of mail they had received to _congratulate_ them. To praise them, well mostly Marinette, for finding the courage within herself to stand up to her aggressor. Sexual abuse victims from all over Paris were writing to the young woman to share their heartbreaking stories with her, wish her good luck or even heartfully thank her for giving their cause a very welcomed visibility and raising awareness about the ever so important matter of consent. They also had received an awful lot of donations for the charity organization Gabriel had chosen to endorse through their upcoming teen collection. The positive response was overall overwhelming, and Adrien's father impromptu and involuntary publicity stunt had turned out to bear way fewer negative consequences that they had initially feared.

Alya, Nino, and her parents had been a little bit over the top at first, constantly apologizing for not having known, for not having supported her correctly through the hardship she had faced on her own. A lot of talking and reassurance from both parties eventually subdued the lingering guilt. With her secrets out of the way, at last, she felt like the walls she had built around her heart were slowly falling apart, allowing herself to let the people she loved in. Allowing herself to be herself with them again, without lies getting between them just like she was with Adrien.

Even so, Marinette was truly exhausted. The stress of the trial and its aftermaths had taken quite its toll on her. She had really tried to hide just how much she felt weak and tired from him, but her level of exhaustion soon got to the point where Adrien forcibly locked her out of their office, refusing to let her in before she had gone home to take at least a nap. Knowing her boyfriend's by then legendary stubbornness when it came to her and her wellbeing, she had simply laughed at his antics and walked back to her apartment, welcoming the impromptu free afternoon. She was ahead of her schedule anyway, all the mock-ups having been sent to production the day before, so it wouldn't affect the fashion show negatively. And, Adrien was right, after all, she could use a nap. The young woman had barely been sleeping at all for the past month, obstinately refusing to postpone their collection because of her lawsuit against Nathanael even if it meant working longer hours, and obviously losing precious hours of sleep worrying about the trial itself.

Humming softly to herself, Marinette reached her apartment building and gathered her mail before heading for the stairs. Absentmindedly, she went through the pile of bills and colorful publicities before a small odd-looking envelope caught her attention. It was light, probably containing a single sheet, and covered with a neat handwriting. The expeditor address was at the Santé prison.

The prison where Nathanael was currently incarcerated.

Her heart leaping in her throat, she opened her apartment door and dropped the rest of the mail on her kitchen table. Part of her thought that she should wait for Adrien to open it, another part briefly considered throwing it in the garbage without reading it. But she couldn't bring herself to do either. Shaky fingers ripped the envelope open, and she unfolded which turned out to be a short letter:  
 _Marinette,  
_ _I just wanted you to know that you did the right thing.  
_ _I'll never be able to tell you how much sorry I am about hurting you. I was blinded by my jealousy, even if I always knew from the start that you weren't meant for me. Your heart always had belonged to him, I shouldn't ever have gotten between you two. Being intoxicated doesn't excuse my actions that night in any way. You have lived with that burden way too long, being the only one who knew the awful truth.  
_ _I know nothing I say or do will erase what I did to you. I hurt you in an unspeakable manner and made you think you were anything short from the amazing and loving girl you always were and still are.  
_ _I'm not asking for your forgiveness, I don't deserve it.  
_ _I just want you to know that I fully accept my punishment and won't try to get out on parole in three years. I destroyed your life, it's only fair that I give up five years of mine in exchange.  
_ _I truly hope you'll find happiness with Adrien, you deserve it more than anyone that I know.  
_ _Sorry. About everything.  
Nate_

By the end of the hastily scribbled note, tears were rolling down her cheeks freely. When she had seen the envelope at first, she had expected a letter telling her how much he hated her for ruining his life, for putting him behind bars before he got to finally marry his long-term fiancée. This, or begging desperately for her forgiveness, trying to convince her that he wasn't aware of his actions that night and hadn't intended on hurting her.

She never thought he would graciously accept his sentence, and accept the full responsibility of what he had done.

Suddenly feeling dizzy, Marinette pulled a chair and sat down, willing herself to breathe evenly. Adrien wouldn't come and look for her for at least another hour, and she wasn't too keen on going through a panic attack on her own. After all, she tried to reason herself, she had nothing to worry about. The trial was over. Nathanael was paying for what he had done to her, and apparently, he was even eager to do so.

She was safe.

She was _safe._

She repeated the words over and over again, like a mantra.

Nathanael's note was still laying on the table, taunting her. Quickly reaching a decision, Marinette jumped up and grabbed it hastily, tossing it in the trash without a second glance. A sudden and sharp pain on her finger startled her, and she looked down, sighing deeply as she noticed she had managed to give herself a papercut in the process. A single drop of blood was already pearling on her skin, irritating her further. She wouldn't call Adrien over something so petty, but texting Chat Noir had always worked wonders to lift her spirits up. Yes, focusing on that would help her calm down. Smiling fondly as she remembered of their epic texting conversations, she pulled her phone from her pocket.  
 _[Princess-Bug] I'm hurt! A mean paper sheet attacked my finger, there are casualties!  
_ The young designer made her way to the bathroom, rummaging through the cupboard in search of a band aid as she heard the usual chime.  
 _[Chaton] Aww. Poor thing. Want me to come and kiss it better? (Also, why are you still up love? Get to bed right this minute my lady)_  
She giggled to herself as she resumed her quest for something to stop the bleeding. Pushing her bath salt container aside to see what was behind it, Marinette's bluebell eyes fell on a small familiar cardboard box.

Her whole world suddenly came to a stop.

Tampons.

Her heart beating furiously in her chest, she desperately tried to recall the last time she had needed them. Dread slowly filled her gut as she realized it went back to before Adrien, seeing as she had been basically living at his place for the last two months or so and hadn't needed to buy some at all. True, it wasn't that unusual for her to skip periods altogether every now and then, even more when she was stressed out, but roughly ten weeks was a bit far fetched.

The young lady had never felt the need to track her periods considering the lack of action in that department for the better part of her adulthood.

Nor had she ever considered taking a birth control pill. What's the use when the very idea of a sexual encounter more than likely triggers anxiety attacks?

But she and Adrien had been careful, right? They had used a condom every time they got intimate, they both meticulously saw to it.

Well, almost every time.

That first night, after his heartfelt confession in the rain, considering the mess of emotions they both had been and the way the night had unfolded, she was fairly certain they had skipped that crucial step now that she really thought of it.

Her papercut long forgotten, Marinette grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs, rushing into the first pharmacy that crossed her path. She could feel her phone buzz a few times in her pocket, Adrien probably worrying about her uncharacteristic lack of response to his last SMS, but she couldn't bring herself to check, even less answer him. As it was, she was barely able to hold herself together. The young designer paid for the pregnancy test shaking so much the clerk had to help her insert her card in the reader.

She needed to know.

The next ten minutes or so were all a blur to her. The blackette faintly recalled going back to her apartment, opening the small packaging and following the instructions on the box. Two minutes that felt like an unbearable eternity later, she flipped the test back up, her blue irises zeroing instantly on the two pink lines in the small plastic window.

It made sense after all. She was getting tired so much more easily as of lately, and in retrospect she did was a lot more emotional than usual even if she had pinned it as an unavoidable side-effect of her everlasting exhaustion and the aftermaths of Nathanael's trial.

Marinette knew she had to tell Adrien, and she needed him desperately by that point.  
 _[Chaton] Bug? Did you fell asleep already?  
_ _[Chaton] Either that or you're ignoring me so I would think you did. Clever girl.  
_ _[Chaton] Ring me if you need anything. Love you princess 3  
_ Fear putting her in a near catatonic state, she managed to type back:  
 _[Princess-Bug] Adrien come at mine ASAP  
[Princess-Bug] Please hurry_

He must have already been on his way home, because barely five minutes later her apartment door was swung open as he rushed in, his green eyes instantly finding her. In three long strides he scooped her up in his arms, hugging her tightly, kissing her forehead with an infinite tenderness:  
"Mari? What's wrong princess?"  
Marinette felt herself cling to his shirt as she sobbed softly into his chest. She was way beyond terrified. She heard him speak against, his worry evident:  
"Marinette? Talk to me please, what happened? I'm right here, you're safe love."

Pulling away from him slightly, blue eyes found questioning green, and the young lady gulped audibly. Panic taking hold of her, she braced herself for his inevitable rejection as she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear:  
"Adrien, I'm pregnant."


	30. Chapter 30: Fast paced (UNEDITED)

_**Just a heads up: the next update might come a little bit slower than usual. I had a really stupid accident in the shower (slipped while holding my 2 yo son and cut my hand on the door mechanism) which makes typing a bit tedious. So I might write a little less than usual for the next few days. Sorry about that!**_

* * *

Marinette fought it with all her might, focusing on Adrien's soothing voice and warm proximity to try and calm herself down despite the raging storm of emotions fighting inside her, but soon enough all the telltale signs of an upcoming anxiety crisis were creeping on her, effectively suffocating her. Suddenly, she felt as if the walls were quickly closing up on her while her blood ran ice cold in her veins. Her breathing became painfully laborious, and she promptly found her vision fading to black as well as her hearing wavering to a mere blur of white noises altogether.

She faintly had consciousness of him pressing his lips briefly against her forehead and muttering something rapidly, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out what he actually said. The familiar warmth pulled away from her before she could even reply something, leaving her all wrapped up in her plaguing memories, feeling cold and lonely.

And then he was gone.

When the door closed behind him, Marinette felt her world had just shattered into a million pieces.

Left on her own, Marinette curled up on herself on the floor, four years old memories crawling back on her.

She could see herself again, four years prior at barely even eighteen, standing on the abortion clinic's porch on her own, struggling with her shameful secret. Going through that door had been the hardest thing she ever had to do. Part of her wanted nothing more than run and hide forever. She had known from the start, from the second the second pink line had appeared on the pregnancy test that she couldn't keep the baby. It would have been unfair both to her and to the child, knowing that it would always be a living reminder of the nightmare Nathanael had put her through. It was the rational thing to do, the only thing that made sense.

But knowing she had done the right thing didn't make it hurt less.

This time, things would be different. Another abortion was out of the question, without the shadow of any hesitation. Even if Adrien had walked out on her, this child had been conceived out of love, and would only be a reminder of the two months of pure bliss she had been lucky enough to get by his side. Raising his child, with or without him, was the only thing she was sure she wanted.

The only certainty in her wavering mind.

* * *

Adrien rummaged in the safe with hasty movements, thankful his father was nowhere to be seen. He didn't want to explain his actions, not yet. First, he had to get back to Marinette as soon as possible.

Well, as soon as he could get his hands on the goddamn ring.

He knew it had to be there, somewhere in his father's safe. Gabriel had kept it for that very purpose, though Adrien really hoped he wouldn't notice its absence right away. He wanted to tell him himself once things were settled down. Of course, he knew that his father would approve, he had made that clear quite publicly. Still, he was wishing for a more official announcement than "Hey Adrien, where did your mother's ring go?"

He needed time, time to reassure his upset girlfriend, to make her understand once and for all that he wasn't going anywhere without her. He had seen the sheer terror in her bluebell eyes upon arriving at her apartment, had seen the way she had seemingly braced herself for a negative reaction from him. It had become clear quite quickly that words weren't going to be enough to convince her, that nothing he could say would make her understand that things were okay despite the not-so-surprising turn of events.

Only actions would reassure her.

And he knew exactly what he had to do, if only he could find the ring.

Another round of scouring the lower shelf of the safe proved to be lucky, as Adrien finally spotted the familiar little black box. He reached for it and opened it carefully to confirm the content was indeed what he was desperately searching for. Sure enough, there it was, as beautiful as he remembered it to be. It was a simple white golden band, divided in two strands at the front, looped together into the eternity symbol. One of those strands was embedded with white diamonds. Simple, easy to wear and beautiful. It was his mother's wedding ring, and it would now be Marinette's, should she accept what he intended to be his undeniable proof of his feelings for her.

Tucking it safely into his pocket, he sprinted down the mansion's hall, almost colliding with Natalie that was coming in.  
"Ad-"  
"Hi Natalie, bye Natalie!" he heard himself shout back as he raced down the front stairs. Never in his life, except maybe the day he had hopped from his shower to Marinette's apartment, had he jumped in his car so fast, fastening his seatbelt with giddy fingers. As soon as he reached Marinette's building, he shot out of the car and hurried up the stairs, almost breaking his neck twice in the process.

The sight awaiting him when he pushed Marinette's door open truly broke his heart. Curled up in a fetal position on the floor, in the exact same spot he had left her, his lover was sobbing quietly, eyes tight shut. He kneeled down beside her and, wrapping his arms around her with an infinite tenderness, he softly kissed her forehead as her eyes shot back open:  
"Mari…"  
"You came back." she hiccupped through her sobs, pressing herself against his chest, and Adrien understood, stunned beyond words, that she honestly had thought he was gone for good.  
"I literally told you I was just running an errand, why in the word did you assume I weren't coming back?"  
She looked away, but not before the young man caught her sheepish expression:  
"I… I didn't hear what you said before leaving. Sorry."  
The blond sighed, hugging her tighter. Thankfully, he had been gone for a short time, barely more than fifteen minutes, so Marinette hadn't suffered uselessly too long. It still bothered him to great lengths that she had assumed so easily that she mattered that little to him. That he could abandon her like that, without even looking back a single second.

Adrien took a deep breath and tore himself away from her, taking both of her hands into his and helping her up. He stood there for a second, facing her, his eyes finding hers as he gathered his thoughts:  
"I… We have been chasing each other around for the past seven years, Mari. Now that I finally have you, I ain't letting you go anywhere without me. I wanna go through your ups and your downs with you. I want you to be by my side through mine. I wanna walk you down the aisle in the dress you dreamt of and I want to raise our children hand in hand with you. I have been planning on it ever since my lips first tasted yours. I just didn't think it'd happen right away, but I don't mind the slightest. I have every intention of spending the rest of my life with you Mari, and love and cherish you every morning I'm lucky enough to wake up next to you. I know everything's happening at a really fast pace, but apparently, this is how we were meant to be."  
Pulling his mother's ring from his pocket, he kneeled down before her, still holding her hand:  
"Will you marry me, princess?"

She gasped, clasping her free hand to her lips.  
"Adrien, I…"  
"Don't you dare give me the "I'm worthless" speech again. I _love_ you Marinette, I love you with every cell of my body. This baby doesn't lessen my feelings for you in any way, quite the opposite actually. You're handing me a chance on a silver platter to build a family of my own with the woman I'm in deeply love with, I would be a madman to let it pass."  
A single tear trailed down her porcelain skin as he watched nervously her expression shift to entirely something else. Her pink lips stretched into a shy smile, her eyes shining with love and… adoration? Her answer was barely above a whisper, but he drank it all:  
"Yes, Adrien. I'll marry you mon chaton."

And suddenly Adrien was soaring. His heart felt incredibly light and he was ready to take on the world. Trembling with emotion, he slid the ring on her finger before jumping to his feet and taking her into his arms, nuzzling his nose in her hair.  
"I can't wait to start anew with you, Marinette. You've just made me the happiest man alive."  
Grinning, the blackette wiped her eyes with the back of her hand:  
"I love you, Adrien. And I won't ever be able to thank you enough for everything you've done for me. You've been nothing but patient toward me."  
Capturing her lips in a deep kiss, Adrien pulled her even closer to him, breathing in her warmth, her scent. When they broke apart, both breathless, he rested his forehead on hers, reveling in their moment:  
"I'd do it over and over again in a heartbeat, princess. You're worth it, even if you refuse to see it. Now, I have a lifetime to show you just how much I love you."

They remained like that for a while, wrapped in each other's embrace.

Eventually, Adrien's hand left the small of her back, trailing toward her abdomen to come and rest on her stomach over the fabric of her shirt. Smiling widely, he whispered:  
"Should we start looking for a house? Or would you prefer another apartment?"  
Visibly taken aback by that question, the young woman stared at him for a second:  
"What? Why?"  
"Well, seeing as we both live in a one-bedroom apartment, neither of us has enough room for a nursery. Which we're going to need."  
Marinette giggled softly, a sound he could never grow tired of hearing.  
"Shouldn't we settle on a date for the wedding first?"  
Adrien pouted, effectively throwing his lovely girlfriend into another fit of giggling.  
"Alright then, how much time do you need to make your dream dress happen?"  
"I've been perfecting the design for a while now, and the pattern's almost ready. I'd says there's about a week worth of work left."  
"Then it's settled."  
Looking at him quizzically, Marinette stammered:  
"I-I'm sorry? What's settled?"  
"The date, he answered while grinning like the lovesick fool he was. You need a week to make your dress, so we'll marry in a week. I absolutely refuse to spend a second more than necessary _not_ being your husband."  
"Adrien, that's crazy. There's no way we can make this happen in a _week._ There's still the fashion show in a few days and-"  
"Like I said, fast paced is how we were meant to be princess. We're more than ready for the fashion show and you know it. Focus on your dress, I'll handle the rest."  
Placing a soft peck on her lips, he drew back looking at her with sheer adoration, obviously elated about the upcoming changes in both their lives.

Still grinning from ear to ear, he flashed her a mischievous glance:  
"So, future Mme Agreste, now that's settled, can we speak about _where_ you and I are going to care for our upcoming little bundle of joy?"

And there it was again.

The giggle he loved so much.


	31. Chapter 31: Lovebug (UNEDITED)

_**Good news! It seems writing on my phone is less painful than an actual keyboard for my hand (which I ripped open again today. yay! According to my pharmacist the cut would've needed stitches, but it's too late now. Oopsies!)**_

 _ **I intended to finish the fic for Christmas, but I think it's more realistic to finish it for New Year! (hopefully)**_

* * *

It was a scene so common in Marinette's apartment that it almost felt domestic.

Tom was looking utterly ridiculous hunched into his daughter's very pink armchair, the burly man desperately clutching at his controller for dear life as he was kicking Nino's butt yet again at Ultimate Mecha Strike. The young DJ was himself sitting on the floor by his wife's feet, groaning loudly as his defeat was made official on the screen. Sabine and Alya were sitting side by side on the couch, chatting quietly among themselves, only interrupting their discussion to participate in their husbands' playful banter. A recent addition to their weekly gatherings, Adrien was perched upon a bar stool at Marinette's kitchen counter, effectively playing the role of a bridge between the busy hostess and her guests, relaying jokes, game scores, and conversation as he watched her cook with barely concealed awe. Over the course of the last few weeks, they had more often than not taken advantage of Adrien's upper-end kitchen and spacious living room, but since that night was special, her boyfriend had insisted that they invited everyone at her place instead. For old times' sake. Smiling to herself as she listened to the people she loved the most in the world getting along so well, Marinette focused on the fuming pasta sauce she was making, stirring it a little and adding a pinch of spices to enhance the flavors.

A very familiar scene indeed, which she was quite fond of.

What was uncommon, though, a first occurrence, to be honest, was the third knock of the night dryly laid on her front door and Adrien's slender body unfolding itself from the barstool to go and greet the unusual addition to their weekly dinners. Marinette watched with a knowing smirk as every single head in the room turned toward the door with matching questioning glances. Even the deathmatch on the screen laid forgotten by the boys, everyone waiting eagerly for Adrien to open the door.

Casting a smirk of his own toward her, the blond slowly opened the door, greeting the tall and slim man waiting on the other side of the panel with a genuine smile:  
"Evening, father. I'm glad you could make it."  
The fashion mogul quirked an eyebrow as he stepped into the room, closely followed by his everlasting assistant, Natalie.  
"Well, you did mention it was important."  
Chuckling softly, Marinette heard her lover stammer a weak excuse as she wiped her fingers on her apron, joining them in the livingroom:  
"Evening, Mr. Agreste, Natalie. Dinner's almost ready if you want to take a seat."  
She could almost feel Alya and her mother's curious glances drilling a hole in the back of her head. Adrien's father sudden appearance was odd enough in itself, but she had just made it quite clear that she had actually been expecting him and had purposely kept it a secret. The young lady knew very well that both women were more than likely stewing with pressing questions at the moment. Questions they couldn't ask because her boyfriend ever so conveniently asked everyone to seat themselves as well.

Part of her sincerely hoped that their guests wouldn't pay too much attention to Adrien's odd behavior, seeing as he wasn't being anywhere subtle. He kept looking at her left hand every now and then, smiling at her broadly without any real reason. If he kept acting like that, it wouldn't be long before anyone noticed the white golden ring on her finger, blowing up the official announcement the blond himself had insisted upon. Even now, as he was pouring glasses of wine for their now-seated families, he kept casting subdued glances at her, eyeing her stomach with a small knowing smile. She smiled back, perfectly aware that her fiancé was almost jumping out of his skin with nervousness.

As she was gathering enough plates and cutlery for everyone, Marinette's gaze fell on the real estate brochure she and Adrien had been going through before her parents' arrival. Granted, they'd been looking for less than a day, but she was already growing annoyed with the house hunting. Adrien was basically useless, his only criterions being two or more bedrooms and having somewhere to park his car. He was stubbornly refusing to provide anything looking anywhere near to a budget or even a gross preference for the location, stating that as long as he was with her he'd be happy. That was cute as hell if she looked at it with her heart, but her head found the young man's attitude not useful at all. Marinette herself had a marked preference for a house over an apartment but wasn't too keen on leaving the area they were currently living in which badly restricted their choices. Nonetheless, she couldn't shake the idea that a child should have a backyard to play into, hence why they have been looking for houses to visit up until the second her parents had arrived.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the very man of her dreams taking the pile of plates from her hands and planting a quick peck on her lips.  
"Coming princess?"  
Marinette beamed at him, taking the fuming pot of pasta and following him to the table. Depositing it in the middle so everyone would be able to reach it, she sat between her mother and Adrien, noticing with delight that everyone was casually chatting. Gabriel and her parents were engaged in a deep conversation about the perks and the struggles of managing an enterprise, while Alya and Natalie were absorbed in a debate about the best ways of handling media. Nino, on the other hand, was seemingly absorbed into the content of his plate. The blackette helped herself to a serving of pasta and was about to take the first bite when her friend suddenly jumped out of his seat, losing his cool:  
"Okay lovebirds, there's something up. What is this really about?"

Marinette had to give Nino some credit, he took her by surprise. She had fully expected Alya to bring the subject up, or even her mom in her more subtle ways. But it was pretty clear that her best friend's husband wasn't dealing that well with being kept in the dark. A quick glance on her right brought her the reassurance that Adrien and she were on the same page, and they both got up, the young man clearing his throat.  
"Yeah, well, we asked you to come tonight because we have an announcement to make."  
All of their guests' eyes widened as they understood where this was headed:  
"Yesterday evening, I asked Marinette to become my wife."  
"Of course, I agreed." chimed in the young lady.

To say chaos ensued would be quite an understatement.

They were suddenly caught in a storm of hugs, kisses, and heartfelt congratulations. Marinette even caught from the corner of her eye Gabriel awkwardly embracing his son and softly patting him on the back, pointing to her hand with obvious pride. After all the squeals, the victorious shouts, and the laughs had faded, they all sat back down to resume eating, grins spread wide on every face around the table. Alya was jumping in her seat, barely able to contain her excitement:  
"I can't believe it! Have you settled on a date yet? Which apartment are you going to keep? I can give you the contact info of the guy that made our invitations, his work was really rad and-"  
Marinette cleared her throat slightly:  
"We're keeping neither of our apartments, we're searching for something that will be _ours_. And we actually have settled on a date, and we more than likely won't have time for printed invitations."  
Her best friend snorted in disbelief:  
"Come on Mari, we had two weeks to organize everything and… OH." the brunette trailed off, suddenly understanding the implications of what her best friend had said.  
" _When_ is the wedding?" warily asked Nino. Adrien's face flushed bright red, as he mumbled almost unintelligibly:  
"Sunday."

This time, it was Tom's turn to intervene:  
"I'm sorry, what? I must have misheard you, son."  
The blackette put her hand on Adrien's arm, smiling at her dad lovingly:  
"You heard right, dad. Adrien wants us husband and wife before the end of the week."  
On the other side of the table, Nino looked utterly betrayed:  
"DUDE! To think you had the nerve to tell me two weeks to organize a wedding was suicidal!"  
"I know."  
To his credit, Adrien looked utterly sheepish, having no real reason to offer to explain the rushed ceremony. Chuckling, Marinette came to his rescue:  
"Apparently, my fiancé is a very eager little thing. And he is incredibly stubborn when he sets his mind on something."  
Humming pensively as he took a gulp of wine, Gabriel's deeper voice wondered out loud:  
"I wonder where he got that from."  
Poor Natalie choked on her pasta hearing those words from her boss, earning herself a concerned look from some of oblivious the guests present that night and a rather amused one from the perceptive others.

The rest of the meal was spent agreeably, as actually a lot of the wedding planning was made around that table. Ever so eager to help as much as she could, Alya offered to take care of the reservation of the venue and the virtual invitations that needed to be sent. She badly tried to hide her surprise when Marinette confirmed her that yes, Chloe and Sabrina were invited, but she didn't comment on the matter. Nino, of course, offered his services as a DJ, grinning when Adrien confessed that they wouldn't ever dare to dream of trusting anybody else with the music. Before taking his early leave, Gabriel blankly stated that, of course, the groom and the best man were to wear Agreste tuxedos personally fitted. Natalie didn't say much, but Marinette noticed a warmth in her icy eyes that wasn't there upon her arrival. Alya and Nino left not so long after them, both having to work early the next day.

Adrien and her father retreated to the couch, the former having a revenge to claim from the latter for the previous week Ultimate Mecha Strike tournament they had held. Smiling fondly at the sight of the two men of her life sitting side by side on her couch, Marinette filled her sink of soapy water and began cleaning the dishes while humming softly to herself while her mother sipped quietly on her fuming tea at the counter. After a few minutes of silence, the blackette was surprised though by familiar hands grabbing a towel in the drawer and helping her drying the dishes. They worked wordlessly for five minutes or so, mother and daughter enjoying each other's proximity before Sabine broke the silence:  
"When are you planning on breaking the big news?"  
Marinette stopped dead in her tracks, her hands stilling their movements in the warm water.  
"What do you mean, mama? We just did?"  
The older woman chuckled lightly as she pecked her daughter on the cheek, before putting away the plates she had dried:  
"I know you just made a pretty big announcement, dear. And don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled Adrien and you are getting married. That boy has done more good to you in a little more than two months than anybody even managed in four years. He really loves you, Marinette, that's more than obvious."  
"But?" daughter prompted mother to go on.  
"But that's not what I'm talking about."

Marinette dried her hands on her apron and turned to face her mother. She read nothing in the kind gray eyes but sheer love and concern for her one and only daughter. Sabine took her child's hands into hers and pulled her into a tight, motherly hug:  
"You're simply glowing Marinette, and I know it's not only because you're getting married."  
Marinette tried to answer, but her mother cut her short:  
"Adrien looks at you like you were a miracle come true. What you're about to give that young man in a few months is what he has been dreaming of his whole life. A chance to have a home instead of a house. A family of his own."  
Kissing her daughter on the forehead, Sabine Cheng went on:  
"I know you feel guilty because he has done _so much_ for you these past weeks and will probably continue to do so. But think about what _you_ are giving him, Marinette. Because of you and the little lovebug nestled inside your belly, that boy won't ever be alone again."

If either of the men understood with both women were crying tears of joy in each other's embrace in the kitchen in front of a sink full of dirty dishes, neither of them felt the need to clarify the situation.


	32. Chapter 32: Applauses (UNEDITED)

Marinette kept pacing back and forth backstage under Adrien's amused smile:  
"Relax, princess, everything's going to be fine. Besides, you can't do anything more from that point. The models are all lined up, dressing up as we speak, and they're going to go down that catwalk and rock the place, okay?"  
The young woman stopped her pacing for a second, eyeing him warily:  
"But what if they get the designs wrong? What if they mix them up?"  
Chuckling, Adrien reached for her waist and pulled her to him gently:  
"They won't. That's why we're doing a check up before the show starts, remember?"  
"What if a model gets sick?" groaned his fiancée as she buried her face in the crook of his neck, leaning on him slightly.  
"Then we'll resort to a backup model. Mari, stop worrying, everything's under control."  
"I can't," she mumbled against his white shirt, toying with the electric green tie she had chosen for him a few hours prior. She locked her arms around him, and he could tell she was reveling in the familiar scent of his cologne to calm her madly rambling mind down.  
"Your designs are amazing, bugaboo, our collection is more than ready to shine. I've been in the industry for almost a decade now, don't worry. I've taken care of everything that could go wrong and planned backup for almost everything. And, it doesn't hurt that you're absolutely stunning yourself tonight. They're absolutely gonna love you."  
The young man felt her embrace tightening around him, and he could see the top of her ears reddening. With a low chuckle, he couldn't resist teasing her a little:  
"Can't handle a little compliment, my lady? It's true you know, you're gorgeous in that dress, even more than usual. I didn't think it was humanly possible, honestly."  
"Ah hush, you hopeless flirt!"

She playfully hit him on the chest, but he had achieved what he was striving to: Marinette was a little bit more relaxed in his hold, her mind focused elsewhere than on everything that could go wrong. What Adrien had just told her was no exaggeration: she was simply splendid. She had gathered her dark locks into an elegant bun enhanced with a complicated hairpin. As usual, she had kept the makeup to a minimum, but it was what looked best on her. The makeup artist taking care of her had fully agreed that in her case, her unique half-Chinese half-French features shone on their own without the need to be enhanced whatsoever. Her dress, though, fully reflected her Asiatic origins. She was wearing a magnificent light pink cheongsam that went down to mid-thighs. It was made of intricate lace, with a satin lining underneath. They had argued a little on the shoe matter, Adrien not too keen on her wearing high heels since he had read it wasn't recommended for pregnant women. Marinette had countered with an annoyed frown that she wasn't that far along for it to really matter, but they had finally settled on her faithful black kitten heels. The young woman then had played dress up with her husband-to-be, choosing his shirt and his tie and picking out a dark gray suit for him, arguing that its shade complimented his skin tone best. Adrien was used to other people choosing his clothes on his behalf, but when it was his fiancée that called the shots, it was different. Instead of dressing up without even glancing at himself in the mirror, he was proud to be Marinette's breathing model.

They had to break their embrace soon enough as they were called to review their models line up. Taking her small hand in his, he guided her to the part where their team was waiting for them. To his relief, Marinette instantly lit up, seeing her designs brought to life before her eyes. Sure, she had seen them before, but not like that. Not with the fittings done, the models groomed and ready to take on the catwalk. The models were all paired up, a male and a female design for each of the eight dates they had settled on. Adrien watched, completely fascinated, as his fiancée walked down the lineup, eyeing every model with a critical mind. She did, in the end, make a few corrections, but when she looked back at him as she ended her very first review, she was beaming, glowing with pride. The countdown to get on the catwalk began and Marinette stepped out of the way as the models took their places. Smiling at them warmly, the young designer cleared her throat:  
"Alright team, here goes nothing. We have worked very hard these past weeks, and I'm very proud of every single person present tonight. This collection is Adrien and I's professional baby, and we're very happy to share that accomplishment with all of you. Whatever happens on that catwalk, we did our best, and that's all that matters. Have fun out there, okay?"  
The models smiled back at her warmly, her little speech having effectively released a bit of the tension in the room. One makeup artist dared to hug her tightly while the other members of their crew discreetly wiped a tear or two. It was clear even to an onlooker that Marinette was very loved by her team, that they were faithful to her despite the short time they have been working with her.

But then again, Adrien thought with a fond smile, who in their right mind could not love her?

She had been nothing but kind and warm to her crew members from the start, always formulating her demands politely instead of demanding like the other designers tended to do. She had even gently scolded a model for losing weight, telling her that she only wanted healthy looking people on her line up. She was a breeze of novelty in the industry, and Adrien was proud of her beyond reason.

The animator began speaking, briefly introducing the concept behind the collection. While brainstorming with him a few days prior, they had agreed that the story of their eight-dates day (without naming their names or even specifying that it was a true story) would probably the most creative way of doing justice to their unique concept. Taking Marinette's hand into his once again, he closed up the distance between them and the heavy curtain, taking their designated spots to watch the show from backstage without risking being seen from the audience. And they listened, as the animator told the crowd the cute story of two teenagers in love going on their very first date together.

"One can't live in Paris without riding a boat down the Seine at least once in his life. So that's what our lovebirds settled on doing first, laughing and talking about their respective likes and dislikes."  
Right on cue, the two first models gracefully hopped on stage. The female model was wearing a pleated cotton white skirt, with a light blue cotton tank top. She was also wearing a white and gray striped light woolen cardigan, with beaded flip-flops in her feet as a reminder of the seaside. The male one was sporting white bermudas to match his date, blue flip-flops, and a white polo with thin red stripes and a blue collar. They walked down and up the catwalk flawlessly, easing Marinette's tension further.

The second pair stood ready to take on the show.  
"The boat ride was a little windy, so the teenagers decided to go to the movies afterward to shield themselves from the summer breeze. Sodas and popcorn in hand, they treated themselves to an action-packed superhero movie, a common interest."  
Adrien knew for a fact that Marinette was really proud of that specific design. The girl was wearing scarlet red skinny pants with matching ballerinas. The tank top, however, was delicate and very feminine. It was rather simple, light gray with a slightly darker leopard pattern. But the designer had added a lining of black lace along the collar, as well as black ruffle along the hem. A silky scarf completed the look. For the boy counterpart, she had had fun to invert the female color scheme. A deep red button up with a black tie was casually worn over black pants sewn with bright red thread. His sneakers were also black with crimson stripes. The design included a black leather jacket that was for the time being neatly folded over the model's arm. Again, the pair's journey on the catwalk went smoothly, and Adrien finally felt Marinette relax fully by his side.

"Once their movie was over, our young lovers found themselves starving despite all the popcorn they had munched on, so they headed to a small café to have a nice lunch together."  
This was one of Adrien's favorites, along with the female version of the picnic date. The lady here was clad in a simple black and white striped tank top. However, a wide band of black satin was wrapped around her midsection right under her breasts, as well as around her shoulders turning into short satin sleeves. Dark gray pants with black ballerinas completed the outfit. The man, on his part, had a white button up shirt under a loose fitted light gray sleeveless vest. A black tie loosely tied around his neck, he was sporting a black pair of trousers with black sports shoes.

"Once they were satiated, our lovely pair decided to grab a cup of coffee on their way to their next date. After all the activities they had packed in one single day, they definitely could use the caffeine boost after all."  
Casting a wide smile to their proud designer, the next pair stepped out. The male design was a three-quarter length sleeved black checkered button up. A sleeveless sparkling white vest, gray trousers, and black sneakers completed the male look. His partner was wearing a slightly above the knee-length dark gray woolen tunic, cinched at the waist with a leather belt, over a long sleeved cotton black shirt. Black kitten heels in her feet, the look was accessorized by knee-high black and white striped gaiters and a silver pendant resting between her breasts. Those designs didn't scream _coffee date,_ but they were a cute mix between casual and a little more formal. If the reactions of the audience they heard from their secluded spot were anything to go by, their opinion on that matter was widely agreed upon.

"Our lovebirds decided to begin their afternoon by a stroll at the zoo, and ended up chatting quietly about their families, munching on some cotton candy as they walked between the various animals."  
The next set was definitely one of the cutest, and probably the most wearable on a daily basis. The man version consisted of a washed-up pair of jeans, navy hi-tops sneakers and a light cotton knitted black sweater. A golden pendant on a leather lace echoed the leather band wrapped on the model's wrist. The female design paired with that one was rather pretty while remaining comfortable enough for a walk through the zoo. The short skirt had a tiger print in shades of gray and black, a clever reminder of the theme of the date. An elbow-length cotton white button up was enhanced by a wide black satin sash and a black and white striped tie. The model was strutting the catwalk back up in pitch black ballerinas hand in hand with her "boyfriend", a wide grin spread on her face. She winked at Marinette as they passed them, and Adrien saw his wife-to-be glow even brighter with pride.

"Even if her date was obviously thoroughly enjoying himself at the zoo, our young lady had other plans for the remaining of their afternoon. She challenged him to a video games deathmatch at the local arcade. After all, all's fair in love and war."  
The following pair of designs was by far the most colorful and the most youthful they had made. The girl model was wearing a white tank top over a black t-shirt, with a black and pink cat printed at the front. Black and white striped fingerless gloves and a white purse hanging at her waist, she was sporting washed up jeans and, the color touch of the outfit, a red hi-tops sneaker in a foot and a blue one in the other. Overall, the look was playful and cute. The male model was definitely sporting more colors than his counterpart, wearing a bright green polo over a long sleeved white undershirt. His jeans hanging low on his hips, his own hi-tops shoes were radiant red with yellow laces. Adrien felt Marinette tense up by his side when Melody, the female model, managed to trip on nothing on her way back, but her partner reacted lightning fast, grabbing her by the waist and dipping her low like it had been intended from the very start. The crowd, none the wisest, cheered loudly at how cute the "couple" was looking, and the disaster was successfully averted. As the mannequins stepped back behind the curtain, the blackette designer mouthed a silent thank you toward her savior, who only shortly bowed before her, a playful smile dancing on his lips.

"After all those activities and emotions, our young lovebirds were famished. Thankfully, the young woman had prepared a picnic basket before heading out, so after retrieving it they headed to the nearby park where they enjoyed a nice and quiet meal together while talking about their previous relationships."  
There it was, the dress Adrien was so fond of. He really had half a mind to ask the production team to make one for his lovely fiancée. It was a halter top dress, with navy chiffon fabric covering the model's breasts, turning into a light blue string at the top circling the girl's neck. Below the chest, the skirt was flowing, breezy light, into a pool of flower patterned chiffon. Navy, light blue and turquoise flowers were all over the dress' skirt, falling down mid-thighs. Matching blue high heels made the look light and vapory. The man's design was truly no match, consisting of a blue and white striped t-shirt with a star printed on the front, jeans capris, and blue sneakers. It was cute, but when it came to that specific pairing, the stunning sundress stole the spotlight without any real struggle.

"After a well-deserved meal, our young couple bundled up in warm clothes and headed to the local indoor skating rink despite the boy's protests. It had been a long time since he had had the occasion to skate, but the girl refused to oblige. She fully intended on having fun with him on the ice, even if it meant teaching him from scratch."  
When Marinette had first shown him that specific design, she had gushed to no end about the way it just felt autumn and fallen leaves. Seeing the young couple of models stroll down the catwalk with professional steps, Adrien could definitely see it. The female design consisted of a dark woolen tunic with light flower designs and black and white striped sleeves, worn over a black leggings and ankle boots. The boy model was wearing an olive jacket over a denim shirt and black pants. Blue hi-tops shoes and a checkered scarf in matching colors completed the outfit.

As the final pair of the evening completed their strut on the catwalk, the animator's voice rose again:  
"At the end of the final date of the day, our gentleman walked his lovely lady home. Unspoken promises and a kiss on the cheek later, both of our teenage heartthrobs were left on their own dreaming of their next date."  
The crowd clapped excitedly as all the models walked back on stage, taking their designated spots in a half-circle pattern, leaving a clear path free for Marinette and himself at the very center.  
"This, unfortunately, brings us to the end of this beautiful journey. Which leaves me to present you the minds, bodies and souls behind the amazing fashion collection you have been privy to tonight. Ladies and gentlemen, introducing for the first time ever as project manager and most promising upcoming designer of Agreste designs, please welcome Adrien Agreste and Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"  
Faintly squeezing Marinette's small hand into his in a reassuring fashion, both of them stepped into the spotlight, walking down the catwalk with model smiles plastered on their face. Well, on his part. Marinette was utterly glowing with pride, and her smile couldn't have been more genuine if she had tried. They struck a pose or two for the photographers before taking place between their models. Eagerly taking the microphone that was offered to her, the young woman quickly silenced the loud crowd as she spoke:  
"I'd like to thank Mr. Gabriel Agreste for offering us the chance to shine by ourselves like we did tonight. I'd like to thank our crew for believing in us no matter what and take stupid risks just because we said it'll be okay. And most of all, I'd like to thank my amazing partner, Adrien, for making all of this possible, for believing in me when I was feeling down and sticking with me through thick and thin."  
With a fond smile, he was barely able to conceal, Adrien retrieved the microphone from his bride-to-be's hands and smile as the crowd cheered loudly:  
"What can I add to a perfect statement like the one my partner just made? Only that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is incredibly talented, as you have all been lucky enough to witness tonight, and I can guarantee you haven't seen the last of her!"

Under the audience applauses and their crew praises, Marinette and Adrien bowed low, hand in hand, a wide smile spread on their lips. They posed for more pictures, before heading to the car for the after party, only to be intercepted by very hungry media:  
"Mr. Agreste, Mr. Agreste! What do you have to say about rumors that Miss Dupain-Cheng lawsuit and your upcoming wedding are only publicity stunts to boost the sales of your collection?"  
Adrien shrugged, he knew those stupid rumors were likely to come, but they bothered him to no end.  
"Rumors are rumors. I think what you saw tonight fully support my opinion that miss Dupain-Cheng's designs have absolutely no need to resort to vile publicity stunts to help selling her designs. Her collection is publicity enough in itself."  
"So you didn't purposely time both events to coincide with the fashion show?"  
Groaning, Adrien stopped dead in his tracks, his protectiveness taking the best of him:  
"Agreste designs' official position about my fiancée lawsuit's have previously been addressed by my father. As for our upcoming wedding, the only thing I can tell you is that by Sunday night, Miss Dupain-Cheng will officially be Mme Agreste."  
Another reporter unceremoniously shoved his microphone in front of Marinette's face:  
"Miss Dupain-Cheng, why rush the wedding if it's not for publicity purposes?"  
As always, Adrien came to her rescue, helping her into the car and facing the very impolite journalist:  
"I'm not going to give her time to change her mind, now am I? It won't be long before someone else realizes just how much my fiancée is amazing and talented, so I'm going to put a ring on it before anyone tries to take her away from me. No more comments."  
He slid into the car beside her, taking her hands into his, kissing her knuckles gently:  
"You made it, princess. In their eyes, you're a real designer now."  
Her faint smile was barely reassuring.  
"Do you still want to go to the afterparty? They're all going to wait for us, but I'm sure I can excuse you if you aren't feeling okay."  
She smiled warmly at him.  
"Don't worry kitty. I'll be fine. I'm a little worried about the drink issue, though. They're going to figure out I'm pregnant right away with the statement you just made…"

Adrien chuckled loudly.  
"Don't worry love, just use my patented technique. I'll take a gulp from your glass, and they'll leave you alone for the whole night. As long as you have a glass that isn't untouched but not empty either in your hand in your hand, and you're going to be just fine."  
Marinette quirked a skeptical eyebrow:  
"Is that so?"  
"Trust me princess, that's a technique I have mastered over the course of the last few years. Can't let alcohol alter your judgment if you wish your private life to remain _really_ private, now can you?"

A few hours later, an equally satisfied Adrien and Marinette left hand in hand an awesome after party where they both had been praised to no end and headed straight to the young man's apartment. Both were truly elated with the way the show had gone. The critics so far were amazing, the fashion experts present had been baffled by the cuteness of the concept of the show, the quality of the designs for a newcomer and the obvious chemistry between the team. Of course, some of the outfits had been judged a little weaker than the others, and some flaws had been pointed out, but overall, the day had been a huge success, and possibly Marinette's big break out among Agreste designs. As he fondly watched the young woman burying herself under his sheets, Adrien couldn't help but wonder how in the world he had managed to live without her before. And bemuse on how Marinette, the amazing girl with enough kindness and generosity in her to turn his whole life upside down along with, hopefully, the Parisian fashion industry, was oblivious enough to fail to see just how she deserved to be loved and worshiped.

* * *

 _ **Ok folks, there's only one chapter remaining, and the epilogue.**_

 _ **Since you've been incredibly reactive ever since the beginning of this story, I'm going to ask your opinion: is there anything, apart from Sabrina, the baby and the wedding, you feel I've left hanging? Is there any answers you're dying to get?**_

 _ **Thanks again**_!


	33. Chapter 33: Happiness (UNEDITED)

_**Merry Christmas!**_

 _ **Lucky you, my guests for Christmas Eve FINALLY left (and my whole house is a mess) so I'm posting this earlier than expected!**_

 _ **Also, I'm totally listening to the Christmas special episode as I'm editing this, even if I've already watched it countless times. Judge me. :P**_

* * *

The week flew by, and soon enough, Marinette found herself sitting in her old childhood bedroom, musing over her reflexion in the mirror as her mother was carefully curling her black strands. She had picked out an intricate lace fabric to sew her dress, a sparkling white satin lining fiercely protecting her dignity. The dress had a deep plunging back, and the floor-length skirt began as a mermaid skirt down until mid-thighs, where it flared into a cascade of lace ruffles and beaded edges. It was the design she had been perfecting for years by now, the design she had submitted to Agreste designs in her portfolio, the design that had prompted Adrien to choose her application out of hundreds of them.

And now, against all odds, she was going to wear her masterpiece at her very own wedding with him.

As she watched her mother work lovingly in her hair, Marinette found herself thinking about how well the wedding planning had turned out to go despite Adrien's insane deadline. Herself, the bride, was up to par with centuries-old traditions. Something old? Adrien would be slipping (again) his mother's ring on her finger in a few moments. Something new? Well, her dress was definitely something new, having worked on it for the better part of the past week, a brief but welcomed pause taken to manage the fashion show a few days prior. Something borrowed? Her own mother's necklace was resting lazily between her breasts, a single but dazzling diamond hanging low on a white gold chain. A lucky charm of some sort, seeing as Sabine Cheng had been wearing the same jewel on her own wedding day twenty-something years ago. Something blue? Let's just say her lacy baby blue underwear had been bought with Alya the day before with that very purpose in mind, and she was very impatient to see her husband tear them away from her later that day.

After a while, Sabine finished curling the soft locks and tying them into a rather elaborate bun. Placing a kiss on her daughter's cheek, the older woman smiled fondly:  
"We should go, honey. Your groom is expecting you soon."  
Marinette couldn't help the blush spreading on her cheeks:  
"Do you think he's going to like the dress?"  
Her mother smiled softly:  
"He'd be either crazy or blind not to. You're truly stunning, dear. You're lucky you haven't started showing yet, though, you made this quite form fitting."  
Chuckling, Marinette beamed at her mother:  
"I figured my body wouldn't change that much, given the awfully short delay."  
Sabine hummed in agreement before placing a soft kiss on her daughter's forehead.  
"Let's go honey. Wouldn't want to be late on your big day, now would we?"

Marinette cast a last glance at herself into the mirror, assessing her appearance. Her lithe body was expertly wrapped in the gorgeous dress she was quite proud of. Her curled dark hair was tied at the back of her hair into a rather cute bun, and she had enhanced her already long eyelashes with a single coat of mascara. Sliding her feet into her silver high heels sandals (she had fiercely refused to compromise on her weddingshoes, to Adrien utter dismay), Marinette put her good pair of diamond earrings on before turning to her mother with a shy smile.  
"I'm as ready as could ever be, well I think."  
"You're gorgeous, Marinette. He's going to fall in love with you all over again."  
Right on cue, the trapdoor to Marinette's old bedroom swung open, revealing Alya clad in her maid of honor very pink chiffon dress, jumping into the room like she had done countless times before during their teenage years:  
"Oh my god Marinette, you're just perfect. Adrien won't even know what hit him, girl!"  
A faint blush spread on the blackette's cheek as she quietly mumbled in answer:  
"Thanks, Alya."  
Beaming, her brunette friend beckoned both Asian women toward her:  
"The car is waiting, and according to Nino, Adrien is about to jump out of his skin, so we better get going."

Nodding, Marinette handed her purse to Alya for safe keeping until the reception, and as they headed down to the street, she double checked again with the most significant women in her life:  
"Who's going to take care of Tikki and Plagg while we're away?"  
The maid of honor smiled slyly:  
"We went over that already, Mari. Either Nino or I will swing by Adrien's apartment daily to spend a little time with them and feed them. We are perfectly aware that Plagg is to be left alone while Tikki needs her share of cuddles and petting. Nino has the rings safely tucked in his pants pocket, I just checked with him. Don't worry about your groom getting cold feet, actually, he can't wait for the "I do's" to be long behind you and take you on your well-deserved honeymoon. The venue is really splendid, your guests all RSVP'd on time, your dress is truly stunning, and before you ask about it, yes, your dad had plenty of time to deliver the cake, which is gorgeous, I have pictures to prove it, _and_ change into his tuxedo to escort you down the aisle. He's waiting for you to make your grand entrance as we speak. Also, your plane tickets are safely stored away in your hand luggage, and both of your suitcases are already waiting in Adrien's car trunk. Did I forget something?"  
"Alya, you're rambling."  
"Maybe so, but did it ease your mind?"  
Fidgeting with her fingers, Marinette found something to ask just for the sake of her sanity:  
"Is Gabriel there yet?"  
Alya quickly typed something on her phone, that almost instantly chimed back.  
"Yes, he's with Adrien right now. Nino says he's giving him some sort of pep talk and counseling, actually acting like a real dad for once. Something else?"  
"I don't think so. Thank you Alya, you're the best."  
As the three of them took place in the silver car, nodding a silent salutation to Adrien's old bodyguard, Marinette rested her forehead on the car window, closing her eyes.

In less than an hour, Adrien and she would be husband and wife.

In less than twenty-four hours, they would be landing into the Fiji Islands, spending three weeks of bliss all on their own, three weeks of true alone time, a perfect honeymoon carefully planned by her very eager husband-to-be. She couldn't wait to be truly his, but in the meantime, she had to keep her stupid worries in check. Would he like the dress she had picked out for traveling? Would he approve of the rather racy red bikini she had bought a few days prior for his eyes only? Considering she was already pregnant with his child, was it wrong of her to be really anxious to jump his bones as soon as they ended up alone?

Her risky train of thoughts was interrupted by the Gorilla grumpily announcing they had reached their destination. Following her mother and her best friend out of the car, Marinette's eyes instantly locked with her father's proud gaze.  
"Are you ready, my little cupcake?"  
Smiling at the man she loved the most apart from her fiancé, she locked her arm on his, and grinned back at her dad:  
"Ready to give up your daughter, Papa?"  
The burly man smiled back, squeezing his daughter's arm slightly:  
"If I'm giving you up to Adrien, yes, I'm ready to surrender my baby girl. That man loves you beyond reason. Besides, I think the poor boy might explode if I don't."

Right on cue, the first notes of the wedding march resonated inside the church, prompting the odd looking pair to look at each other out of anticipation. Taking the arm her father offered her, Marinette took a second to brace herself as the doors opened wide. It only took her a few steps inside the room for her whole world to come to a stop. Only a few steps for her eyes to lock with a familiar pair of emerald gems near the altar and find herself unable to look anywhere else. She faintly registered the crowd's soft gasps as she made her entrance, was vaguely aware of Tom's steady presence by her side, but she couldn't for the life of her avert her eyes from the handsome young man waiting for her at the altar. His custom fitted tuxedo was perfectly classic down to every seam, and while he did look a little pale to her, the blinding smile he flashed her as soon as he laid eyes on her obliterated everything else. She could tell Adrien was vibrating with impatience and was fighting with himself to stay where he was standing instead of crossing the last few steps that still kept them apart. As soon as she was within his reach, though, the blond eagerly grabbed both of her hands into his, still staring at her adoringly and prompting their audience to burst into various degrees of giggles and awe. Tom cleared his throat, snapping their attention back to him as they both flushed slightly pink. The burly man embraced Adrien briefly, patting him lightly on the back, before retreating beside Nino with a broad smile.

The remaining the ceremony was a blur. Marinette couldn't focus on the priest words, way too enthralled into the eyes of the man she loved, and she could see he was having troubles too. Thankfully, her brain finally saw fit to take back in her surroundings right as the celebrant cleared his throat and said a little bit louder:  
"Do you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish 'til death do you apart?"  
A wide smile spread her lips as she felt Adrien's fingers tense around hers. Somewhere along the priest's speech he had taken her hands into his again, and apparently had no intention of ever letting them go. She had feared a little that misplaced anxiety would've ruined their day, but all she felt was certainty and an odd sense of safety as she quietly answered:  
"I do."  
The green orbs lit so brightly hearing those two little words Marinette felt her heart clench in her chest.  
"And you, Adrien Agreste, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and protect 'til death do you apart?"  
"I do."  
The young woman smiled at him with as much love as she could pour in it. True, Adrien was more than apt at grandiloquent love declarations when they were alone, but three single letters managed to convey even more of his feelings for her than every promise they ever made to each other.  
"You may kiss the bride."

A gentle tug on her hand pulled her closer to him and slender fingers tilted her chin up. He reached down, and their lips met for a short and tender but life changing kiss.

As soon as they pulled apart, grinning at each other, the crowd erupted in applauses and loud cheers. The priest spoke again, gesturing to the newlyweds:  
"Please welcome the new Mr. and Mrs. Adrien and Marinette Agreste!"

Still smiling broadly, the young couple went back down the aisle hand in hand waving at their guests and hopped into the waiting car to head to the reception venue. Once they were finally alone, concealed from prying eyes, Adrien pulled her close to him and kissed her again, this time a deep and passionate kiss that they only broke to breathe. Resting their forehead against each other, they both broke into a goofy smirk, giggling to themselves.  
"Hey, nice to meet you Mrs. Agreste." he purred, his hands gently cupping the small of her back.  
"Hands off handsome, I'm a married woman now."  
"What a lucky man."  
Cocking her head to the side, Marinette flashed him a sly glance.  
"He might get even luckier tonight, you know, wedding night and all that."  
"Is that so?"

Their playful nonsense was interrupted by their arrival at the reception. They both were almost jerked out of the car by their overeager guests and were promptly buried under an avalanche of greetings, hugs, and cheers of all sorts. The amount of love poured onto the newlyweds was overwhelming, and Marinette quickly found herself tearing up. A quick glance to her groom confirmed that he wasn't faring much better than her.

In between two heartfelt congratulations, the blackette's eyes widened as none other than Chloe Bourgeois leaned toward her after having planted a quick kiss on her new husband's cheek. The mayor's daughter lowered her voice, looking uneasy all of a sudden:  
"Marinette, can I talk to you in private?"  
The odd demand took the bride by surprise, but she obliged nonetheless, stepping away from Adrien. As soon as they were out of earshot, she braced herself for the upcoming confrontation:  
"Is this the part where you warn me that if I hurt him you're going to hunt me down?"  
The blonde shook her head, a strange smile playing on her lips.  
"No. This is the part where I thank you for giving him back his life."  
Startled, Marinette looked back at her old nemesis, dumbfounded:  
"I'm sorry, what?"  
Chloe finally looked at her, her expression earnest and genuine:  
"The day I dropped by your office was the first day ever since we were thirteen that I saw Adrien being excited and genuinely interested in anything related to his work. It was also the first day I saw him without the everlasting lingering sadness in his eyes. True, we aren't that close anymore, mostly because my husband can't stand him and Adrien disagrees with a lot of things I did when we were younger. But I still care about him deeply. He's my oldest friend, and I really want him to be happy."

Something in Chloe's confession prompted Marinette to be blatantly honest:  
"Don't worry, I fully intend on spending every remaining day of my life with him."  
The blonde fashionista smiled gratefully.  
"Thanks, it means a lot to me. Also… Sabrina asked me to pass along her sincere congratulations. She would've liked to come, but she's still coming to terms with the Nathanael's issue. It… it hasn't been easy, to be honest. But the detention center offers counseling, and they're working on it."  
Once again taken aback by Chloe's kindness and openness toward her, Marinette only managed to answer weakly:  
"I'm.. glad that it work out for them."  
"She wanted you to know that neither of them blames you, whatever happens in the future. Nate had to face the consequences of his mistakes sooner or later. I… I'll take my leave now, your husband's looking for you, and as I said, mine doesn't like me being around Adrien that much. I think he fears my old crush on him will creep back."  
Marinette snapped out of her astonishment just in time to hold Chloe back:  
"Chloe wait. If… if you want to stop by sometimes, either at home or at the office, I don't mind. Just tell your husband you're coming to see me if it eases his mind."  
"Why would you do that?"  
"Because we have something in common, you and me. We both want Adrien's happiness."

On that statement, Marinette turned back only to find herself facing a curious Adrien.  
"Hey, where had you disappeared to? I was left on my own to deal with all the hugs and the kisses."  
"Poor baby. I just had an interesting conversation with Chloe. How did you manage to escape?"  
Chuckling lightly, the young man held out his hand for her to take:  
"Probably the less manly thing that ever happened to me. And I'm a model, that says a lot. Your dad rescued me from Kim's grip, and my father's glare discouraged further invaders."  
Marinette didn't think it was possible to laugh that hard before that precise second.

As they settle in their designated seats, the young bride glazed over the room, looking at all their guests with a definite fondness in her bluebell eyes. Max was helping Nino setting up his material, joking and chatting loudly. Alya and Alix were currently busy cooing and fussing over Mylene and Ivan's newborn that looked utterly minuscule into the huge hands of his daddy. The new mom, on her part, was watching warily as her two oldest kids were makings silly bets with Kim. Chloe and her husband were already seated, and the man looked like he was bored out of his skin while the fashionista looked around in search of an escape. Rose was deep in conversation with Sabine, gesturing wildly, and Tom, Natalie, and Gabriel were speaking quietly among themselves, probably about baby stuff given…

Oh.

She turned around in her seat, her right hand cradling her nonexistent belly in a fashion that made it possible only for Adrien to notice. Getting her cue, he nodded before placing a little kiss on her temple.

The meal was served, people were seated. Nino made his mandatory best man speech, talking about how his eternally single best friend had managed to go from nothing to being madly in love while himself was on his honeymoon. Alya rose, telling the story of an SMS sent to the wrong recipient months before a date marathon occurred. Against all odds, Gabriel gave a small speech also, pressing how much he was proud of his son and was happy to welcome his new daughter-in-law in the family.

And then, Adrien stood up. Marinette could swear she had spotted him wipe a stray tear before doing so.  
"I'd like to thank each of you for coming here today and sharing this important day with us. It really does mean a lot to both of us."  
He cast a glance to his wife, and Marinette nodded with a shy smile.  
"However, we have an announcement to make."  
Startled whispers welcomed his statement. The bride stood up in turn, placing her small hand into his and leaning into him for support. Adrien continued, grinning.  
"Yesterday evening, my lovely wife and I purchased a cute little house, not too far from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. We are going to move into it as soon as we get back from our honeymoon. We are very impatient to because, given my lack of experience in that field, I'll likely need a lot of time to set up the nursery."

The stunned silence that followed was broken by Nino's exclamation:  
"Wait, what?"  
Grinning from ear to ear, Marinette placed a hand on her stomach in an unmistakably motherly fashion, before confirming the not-so-subtle doubts her husband had instigated:  
"We are expecting our first child. In roughly six months."  
The claps and the cheers that ensued were music in her ears. Only three persons in the room didn't look in the least surprised by the news, and they all happened to be blood-related to the newlyweds. Marinette smiled to herself. It surely was a parent's thing.

As the reception went on without a hitch, the young woman reveled in the pleasant feeling of happiness that filled her heart to the brim. For the first time in almost five years, as she lovingly watched her new husband laughing heartily with their family and friends, often catching him looking back at her with adoring green eyes, Marinette couldn't help but smile to herself.

She finally felt at peace.

* * *

 _ **So, this is the end. See you later this week for the epilogue!**_


	34. Chapter 34: Epilogue (UNEDITED)

Marinette leaned on the nursery door, cradling her prominent belly with one hand as she lovingly eyed her husband eagerly painting the walls. He hadn't noticed her presence yet and was biting his lower lip as he carefully dipped his brush into the blue paint. There was a tenderness in his unwavering dedication, in the way he obviously strived for the room to be perfect for the big day that was coming rather quickly. A playful smirk spreading on her lips, she quietly stated:  
"That's the wrong shade of blue, Chaton. That's powder blue, not baby blue."  
Instantly spinning on his heels, Adrien faced her with blatant despair in his grassy green eyes.  
"Awww, you can't be serious, princess, I'm almost done!"  
Chuckling, Marinette stepped into the room and looked around her, trying to look like she was genuinely analyzing the color:  
"Hmmmmm, let's see. Nope, that's definitely two shades too dark."  
"Mari!" Adrien whined loudly, his brushed dangling from his desperate fingers. Suppressing a giggle, the young woman shook her head:  
"It's going to mess with the twins' chakra, Minou. We have to start over."  
"Mama, stop teasing Daddy, it's mean."

Grinning, the designer picked up her daughter in her arms, planting a kiss on each of her cheeks.  
"What makes you think Mama's teasing Daddy, Emma?"  
The little girl flashed her a toothy grin worthy of her father:  
"Because my brothers' room is really pretty. We worked really hard, Mama."  
Taking in her daughter's appearance, Marinette burst out laughing loudly. Her dark as could be locks had been tied back into a neat french braid, again a testimony of Adrien's newfound skills, all thanks to online tutorials. Her bright green eyes, a legacy of her handsome father, were shining with sheer pride as she gestured to the bare room they had obviously spent the afternoon painting. She had blue paint smeared on her chin as well as all over her shirt. Her shorts had miraculously been spared, but her legs hadn't been that lucky as blue paint spots were tainting her milky skin.  
"Did you help Daddy paint the room, Emma?"  
Beaming, the little lady answered eagerly:  
"I did! Can't you tell? Does it look pretty Mama?"  
"Of course, kitten. You two did a great job, your brothers gonna get the prettiest room in all Paris."  
Wiggling out of her mother's embrace, Emma jumped back on the floor, pressing her cheek to the pregnant belly. Sighing, she whined softly:  
"Mama, are Louis and Hugo going to arrive soon?"  
"In a few weeks, baby girl, answered her father as he wiped his brushes clean. For the time being, they're really busy growing up in Mama's belly."  
Seeing the huge pout instantly taking over her daughter's face, Marinette stepped in:  
"What's wrong honey?"  
"If they grow up too much, they won't fit into my dolls clothes, just like Daddy, and then I won't be able to play with them."

Unable to resist her baby's antics, Marinette scooped her back up into her arms, ignoring the uncomfortable tug in her midsection the movement provoked, and brought her into the kitchen with her to get started on their dinner, leaving Adrien on his own to wash his painting material and tidy up the twin's nursery.

A few hours later, an exhausted Marinette closed Emma's bedroom door on a very asleep young lady and crept back into the kitchen, planting a loud kiss on her husband temple, grabbing a discarded rag to dry the dishes he was currently absorbed into cleaning.  
"Hey. I missed you today."  
The young man looked at her from the corner of his eyes, a loving smile dancing on his lips:  
"I missed you too, Princess. How was work today?"  
"It could be better, sighed Marinette loudly. I could really do without your father checking on me every now and then. He is almost expecting me to deliver right in the middle of the sewing room, no matter how much I stress that I'm feeling fine and that the twins won't be coming out until a few weeks at the very least."  
Adrien giggled lightly, handing her a wet plate.  
"He sure is a different grandfather than the father I had, even if his tendencies to be overprotective are definitely still there."  
As she put away the now dried plate, Marinette sighed:  
"I think he's trying to compensate the absence he had been in _your_ life by being present in _hers._ "  
The blond shrugged, grabbing another plate to clean. They _did_ own a dishwasher, but this was their moment, the one chore they always did in tandem while talking about their day. They had gotten the habit in the first weeks of their marriage, when their dishwasher had gotten lost somewhere in the delivery, and it had stuck with them. It was their favorite moment of their day, something they both were looking forward to.  
"He still spoils her way too much. Emma's _four years old,_ she doesn't need all the things he buys her all the time."

Bracing herself for the upcoming confrontation, Marinette tried to sound casual as she spoke next:  
"Speaking of, your dad asked again."  
"And my answer's still no." the answer came without delay, in an icy tone unfamiliar in Adrien's mouth.  
"Adrien, you do realize that you're walking in your father's steps out of sheer stubbornness?"  
Her husband shook his head vehemently, furiously washing the cutlery, carefully averting her eyes.  
"I'm not going to let my father ruin my daughter's childhood with modeling."  
Marinette cringed internally. She hated to push Adrien's buttons, but her daughter's happiness was on the line.  
"But Emma wants to. She's been bugging him ever since she saw that old perfume ad you did when we were fifteen. She wants to follow her Daddy's path."  
"She's barely four years old, Princess. She's way too young to work in the fashion industry."

Throwing the rag she had been holding in the sink out of spite, Marinette crossed her arms over her chest as she faced her lover that was still avoiding her gaze at all costs.  
"Okay, now you're just being childish, kitty. The upcoming collection, which, let me remind you, I am designing, is completely based and inspired by her. Emma is dying to dip her toes into modeling only because her Daddy is her freaking idol. Your father is eager to indulge her, because, let's face it, it really does make sense and he can't refuse her anything. Why won't you let her give it a try?"  
"Sorry for wanting her to be allowed to be a child."  
The blackette's features softened as she took in her husband's obvious concern toward their baby girl.  
"Which is why she has an awesome and overprotective Daddy that knows the industry well enough to pull the plug as soon as it becomes work instead of play. Gabriel intends on supervising every photoshoot personally should you agree, and I have no doubts that you'll be watching very closely too. She'll be safe."

The young woman felt Adrien still beside her, his arms resting on the countertop, his head bowed in defeat. When he spoke, his voice was low, tentative:  
"She wants it that much?"  
Marinette nodded, even if he couldn't see her. Yes, Emma wanted it _that_ much. She wanted to come to work with Mama, to hang out into Grandpa's office despite all the rules she always failed to follow, and take pretty pictures with Daddy. It was all she was talking about, and she couldn't for the life of her fathom how Adrien, who literally spent his days with his daughter, failed to see it.  
"More than anything. The twins are about to turn her whole world upside down, Adrien. She's going to need special time with both of us, and if playing dress up in Mama's designs and taking cute pictures with Daddy pleases her, I don't see the harm in it."  
The blond sighed deeply, finally turning around to face his wife:  
"I'll think about it. I guess you're right, she can stop whenever she wants."

Embracing Adrien tightly, her slender arms safely locked around his waist, Marinette rested her head on his shoulder. Like they had done countless times in the previous five years, the young man's arms circled her waist, pulling him closer to him. He buried his nose into her hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo.  
"Before I forget, your parents said hello."  
Giggling into his shirt, Marinette retorted:  
"You went _again_? And you accuse your father of spoiling Emma?"  
"We both know I'm spoiling Tom and Sabine by dropping by every morning. And I don't see anything wrong with Emma seeing her grandparents every day. Besides, they stressed _again_ about just how much they're thrilled about the twins. Wanted to know if we had received the cribs already."  
Cringing into his hug, Marinette tilted her head up to actually look at him.  
"Please tell me your dad somehow restrained himself when he ordered them. I really don't want to repeat the golden crib set with diamonds incident."  
"I wish I could, laughed Adrien as he rested his chin on the crown of her head. I'll remind you we're speaking of the man that has launched a kid's haute couture line for the sole purpose of his granddaughter being clad in top quality clothes at any given time. And may I remind you that he expects you to launch a baby clothing collection before you give birth? For Hugo and Louis' sakes?"  
She tightened her grip on her husband, taking in his scent, his touch on her back. The expecting mother didn't want to sound ungrateful, but Adrien's father had a definite tendency to go over the top when it came to his grandchildren. He was obviously trying to redeem himself for the years of neglect his own son had gone through, but it was becoming ridiculous just how much he was willing to spend unnecessarily on either the twins or Emma.

Marinette stretched on her toes within her husband's embrace, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.  
"Let's head to bed. We're both exhausted."  
Adrien nodded, taking the hand she offered him without any reluctance. As they both were slipping into their pajamas, the young woman suddenly recalled she had news to tell her man:  
"Oh, I almost forgot! Chloe heard from Sabrina this week. Apparently, she's pregnant with Nate's. London's life is treating them well, he's less struggling to sell his drawings in a city where he's not labeled as a rapist. They have postponed the wedding because of the pregnancy, but overall they are doing good."  
Searching for the container for his contact lenses, the blond hummed in agreement before commenting with a coy smile:  
"I'm beginning to feel a little bit jealous of Chloe, my lady. You are spending _so much more_ time with her than with me!"  
A pillow hit him in the chest as Marinette answered, not taking his bait the slightest:  
"Well, you're the one that left me on my own to go and play Daddy-at-home with Emma."  
"You aren't going to give up your whole career when I'm the one severely allergic to nannies, Mari. As long as I'll be able to manage my lovely wife's collections from home, I'll stay with my children where I matter the most. And the day it becomes too much to bear here, we'll figure out a way to bring them to work with us."  
She smiled at him warmly, pulling him to her into their bed.  
"That being said, your… reshuffle of our partnership left me in dire need of an assistant to cope with your absence in our awesome office, and since Chloe's divorce had been so difficult and hard to go through, I think she's welcoming the distraction with more than open arms."

Sliding under the covers beside her, Adrien pulled her close to his chest.  
"Hey, have you heard from Alya today?"  
"Actually yes, they had another appointment at the fertility clinic today, and the baby has a strong grip it seems. She's twelve weeks along now, so it's relatively safe to say this one will stick around."  
Adrien kissed her chastely, whispering against her lips:  
"I figured something big had happened, Nino has yet to send me nonsense today."  
"It's weird, whispered Marinette into his warm embrace, it took them five years to conceive, and yet, they never seemed to lose hope."  
"I guess that's what love does. Make you believe that no matter how hard the road is, you'll reach your destination eventually."

The young designer let his heartbeat lulled her into a half asleep state, her hand affectionately draped over her pregnant belly. Before Morpheus grabbed her for deep slumber, a sudden thought occurred to her:  
"Adrien?"  
"Mmmh?"  
Giggling to herself as she realized Adrien was as on the verge of falling asleep as she was, Marinette whispered against his skin:  
"You won't believe what I did today."  
"Mmmh?"  
"I sent images of the latest ultrasound to an important fabric supplier and kindly asked Alya to ship me a thousand yards of light gray muslin."  
Chuckling into her hair, her husband tiredly answered:  
"I really love it when you swap SMS recipients. Those truly make miracles happen."  
Through her tired state, Marinette managed to smile and kiss the man of her dreams tenderly:  
"Texting you at 5:30 a.m. was definitely my most beautiful mistake yet, mon minou."

* * *

 _ **And... this is the end of a fantastic adventure.**_

 _ **If you are among the readers that followed me on FF, I'd invite you to check out the awesome fanfic website that is "Archive of our own", and find me there under the same username, since I won't be posting onto FF anymore. Their website makes it too tedious to post and/or edit a fic. I'm sick and tired of it.**_

 _ **It's been quite a journey, diverting me entirely from my original fanfic (Both of you) which I'm out to finish now before focusing 100% on a new project (Bring me home).**_

 _ **Thanks to all of you for commenting, leaving kudos, following or even anonymously reading this. I'm really proud of this fanfic, I've tried really hard to wrap it nicely without leaving any loose ends, and I truly hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you. Never in my life have I been anxious to read my e-mails as I've been the days after I posted new chapters. Your comments helped me keep up my insane posting schedule and helped me up when I was feeling down.**_

 _ **All in all, thank you. Thank you for reading all of this, for sticking with me through the end.**_

 _ **I hope to see you on my following projects, and, just so you know, I'll gladly accept prompts! Find me on Tumblr ;)**_


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